15th
International Workshop
on Molecular and Physical Gastronomy
(IWMPG 15)
6-7 May 2026
Centre de formation des apprentis Hôtellerie-Restauration de Colmar (France)
Organized by:
AgroParisTech-INRAE International Centre
for Molecular and Physical Gastronomy : https://icmpg.hub.inrae.fr/international-activities-of-the-international-centre-of-molecular-gastronomy/iwmpg-workshops
Flavour
from food and beverage
Organization Committee:
Róisín Burke (Technological University Dublin, Ireland), Alan Kelly (University College Cork, Ireland), Christophe Lavelle (CNRS/MNHN, France), Hervé This vo Kientza (AgroParisTech-INRAE, France), Dan Vodnar (UAVSM of Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
contact: icmg@agroparistech.fr
Purpose of the Workshop
« La gastronomie est la connaissance raisonnée de tout ce qui se rapporte à l'homme en tant qu'il se nourrit» (Gastronomy is the reasoned knowledge about man's nourishment)
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
Writing about the application of the chemistry to the art of cookery:
« In what art or science could improvements be made that could more powerfully contribute to increase the comforts and enjoyments of mankind »
Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford, (1753-1814)
« “Molecular gastronomy is the scientific activity consisting in exploring the mechanisms of phenomena occurring during dishes preparation and consumption.”
Hervé This and Nicholas Kurti, (1988)
The above quotations from the writings of two founders of Molecular and Physical Gastronomy express in a nutshell the spirit and the objectives of the Workshop: the emphasis will be on gastronomy rather than nutrition, on domestic and restaurant cooking rather than industry.
The object of this workshop will be to bring together a group of scientists to discuss collectively the science behind the practices carried out in the kitchen.
What is a workshop?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a workshop as “a meeting at which a group of people engage in intensive discussion and activity on a particular subject or project”.
Workshops, similar to seminars, are usually much smaller than conferences – a workshop can be an element of the conference structure.
Workshops typically tend to be:
• Interactive
• Educational
• Conversational
May we also point out that, as the name IWMPG « N. Kurti » indicates, this is a workshop and that participants are encouraged to show experiments.
Talks should preferably less than 20 min, so that discussion is promoted (of course, one can have more slides in order to be ready for the discussion).
The primary goal is not to make speeches, but to give the information that can make a basis for active discussion in all scientific directions: materials and methods, results, interpretations, consequences, scientific strategy.
Also, as workshops are more informal than conferences, we could keep the visio links open during the break and lunches, so that discussions can go on, and one could discuss other questions than suspensions during such times.
Mind that the texts from talks can be submitted as manuscripts for proceedings in the International Journal of Molecular and Physical Gastronomy (https://icmpg.hub.inrae.fr/international-activities-of-the-international-centre-of-molecular-gastronomy/journal-of-molecular-and-physical-gastronomy).
Schedule
Mind that all times given are Paris time
Tuesday May 5, evening:
19.30. Dinner at the restaurant of the Grand Hotel Bristol (confirm at icmg@agroparistech.fr)
Wednesday May 6:
9.00-10.00 : Session 1, Opening session
1. Hervé This vo Kientza: Introduction (MPG, the IWMPG, active workshops)
2. Roisin Burke: A brief overview of the presentation topics.
3. Presentation of the participants
10.00-12.30, Session 2 (Chairperson: Roisin Burke) : Flavour created by chemical processes (here, we could have a section on "pyrolysis", and also hydrolysis, glycation, for example)
- Masking bitterness: parallels between pharmaceutical formulation and culinary applications of bitter foods (Dao T.-T. Nguyen and Pasquale Altomonte)
- Flavour Modification by Ideation of Space Dishes and Emerging Space Food Processes (Volker Hessel)
- Development and standardization of a clear Birria flavouring, and colorless seasonings in general, for use in snacks (Valeria Gonzalez Garcia, Luis Antonio Davila Aguilar)
Q/A, Discussion
Lunch nearby
14.00-15.30 Session 3 (Chairperson: Patricia O’Hara) Flavour created by chemical processes (continuation of session 2)
- Exploring the anatomy of Malaysian flavors (Sharim Karim)
- Analysis of Variations in Matcha Components Across Different Brands on the Tunisian Market (Maissa Dely, Hassouna Mnasser, Melika Mankai)
- Should we drink while eating? (Christophe Lavelle)
Q/A, Discussion
15.30-16.00 Break
16.00-17.00 Session 4 (Chairperson: Anu Hopia) Flavour created by physical processes (the release of compounds by grinding, heating (no chemistry, but phase transition, i.e. flavour release) or chewing
- Deconstructing the flavor release and nutritional benefits derived from cooking with olive oil (Zeynep Delen, Patricia O’Hara)
- Results from Seminars : cooking herbs, lentils, fish fumets, roux, beurre maître d’hôtel (Herve This vo Kientza)
Q/A, Discussion
Thursday May 7:
09.00-12.00 Session 5 : Experimental session
1. Experiments: A Comparison of the Flavour Release from Four Different Gels,
by Roisin Burke
2. Experiments: About bitterness,
by Pasquale Altomonte and Dao Nguyen
demo 1 : raw endive
demo 2: braised endive
demo 3: braised endive + orange+cheese
demo 4: liquid vs foam
presentation of the Cooking Notes by Kitchen Lab Food
10.05-10.20: Break
10.20-12.15 Session 6 : (Chairperson: Hervé This vo Kientza) Experimental session (continuation)
Reception of the Mayor of the City of Colmar, also representing the President of the European Collectivity of Alsace.
3. Experiment: Flavor perception of ammonium chloride: Exploring the sensory vocabulary of a culturally specific taste,
by Anu Hopia, Nanna Rintala, Julie Talvitie
4. Experiment: About flavour production,
by Herve This vo Kientza
5. The right terms for cooking,
by Hervé This vo Kientza
Q/A, Discussion
Lunch nearby
13.30-16.30 Session 7: Education session : Building food for the future: bridging the gap between education, inclusive gastronomy, interculturality and sustainability (Chair person Reine Barbar and Roisin Burke)
13:30 – 13:45 Welcome & Introduction
• Overview of the session’s goals and the Tradinnovations project (Reine Barbar, Roisin Burke)
• Explanation of the alternative poster presentation format (one slide per project): Gaëlle Garrier, Bruno Souza Moreira Leite.
13:45 – 14:30 Part 1: Transforming Student Projects into Scientific Outputs
13:45 – 14:00: Process of submitting articles based on student projects (challenges: data quality, writing skills, time constraints, and the use of artificial intelligence tools). Flow diagram illustrating the transition from classroom projects to posters, abstracts, and other forms of dissemination, including the role of AI in supporting writing, data analysis, and formatting: Reine Barbar, Roisin Burke, Paulina Mata.
14:00 – 14:15: Case studies from the Tradinnovations consortium
By Bruno Souza Moreira Leite, Reine Barbar, Roisin Burke.
14:15 – 14:30: Open Discussion – How to better integrate publication objectives into PBL design?
14:30 – 15:30 Part 2: Dissemination Strategies – Lessons Learned and Future Directions
14:30 – 15:00: Review of dissemination activities (strengths, limitations, and key takeaways)
By Gaëlle Garrier, Reine Barbar
15:00 – 15:30: Collaborative time – How to improve visibility, impact, and sustainability? Focus on planning a future Erasmus-funded summer school and other perspectives (Tradinnovations network for educators, socioeconomic stakeholders in support of student’s projects)
By Bruno Souza Moreira Leite, Reine Barbar, Roisin Burke
15:30-16:15. Part 3: Coffee and Posters Session
Enjoy a coffee while seeing student’s posters from several countries: France, Portugal, Tunisia…
Quick pitches are planned on site, online, pre-recorded by students, by educators…
Posters include: target population, studied recipe, scientific methodology and innovations levers.
16:15-16:30. Wrap-up and closing remarks
16.30-16.45 : Break
16.45-17.30 Session 8 (Chairpersons: Hervé This, vo Kientza, Roisin Burke, Christophe Lavelle, Dan Vodnar, Reine Barbar)
1. Open meeting of the International Journal of Molecular and Physical Gastronomy,
By members of the Editorial Board of the journal
2. Publishing the proceedings of this workshop.
3. Choosing the topic and the next workshop.
