Flavour Balancing Made Easy

Welcome to the course, I’m glad you’re taking the time to learn this valuable life-long skill that is flavour balancing. In this lesson, we’ll walk through what you’ll be learning in each module, and I’ll also share a bit about myself - your coach - so you know who’s guiding you along the way.

In this lesson, we’ll dive into what flavour balancing really means and why it’s such an essential skill for any cook. Understanding the science behind balancing flavours will not only elevate your dishes but also help you create more harmonious and well-rounded meals.

In this lesson, we’ll explore how individual differences in taste perception - due to genetics and other factors - can affect how we experience flavours. Understanding these variations will help you tailor your cooking to different palates and enhance your ability to balance flavours for a wide range of tastes.

In this lesson, we’ll dive deeper into the five core flavour profiles, exploring what each one truly represents. You’ll learn how to identify these flavours in both familiar and unexpected ingredients, and how to describe them with more nuance. By the end, you’ll have a richer understanding of each profile and know how to incorporate them into your dishes for maximum impact.

In this lesson, we’ll explore two key components that impact flavour balancing: Personality and Carriers. We’ll also touch on how the tongue map, the Maillard reaction, and different cooking methods play a crucial role in shaping the flavours of your dishes.

In this lesson, we’ll explore the physiology of our pleasure response to food from an evolutionary perspective. You’ll learn how our brains process flavours, how the dopamine reward system is activated, and why certain tastes have evolved to be more pleasurable, driving our choices in the kitchen.

In this lesson, we’ll examine how smell and temperature influence our perception of flavour. You’ll learn how these two senses work together to enhance or alter the taste experience, making them key players in flavour balancing.

In this lesson, we’ll explore how the flavour profiles interact with each other—both enhancing and counteracting one another. Understanding these relationships will give you the tools to create more balanced, dynamic flavours in your dishes.

In this lesson, we’ll put everything together with a step-by-step framework for balancing flavours in any dish. With all the knowledge you’ve gained, you’ll now have a clear process to follow for creating perfectly balanced meals every time.

In this lesson, we’ll go over a few key tips to help you get the most out of the next three practical exercises. These pointers will set you up for success as you apply your flavour balancing skills in real-life scenarios.

In this exercise, we’ll make a Creamy Sesame Ginger Dressing. This hands-on recipe will give you the opportunity to taste how the flavour profiles come together and help you practice balancing them in a real dish.

In this exercise, we’ll create a Caramelised Butternut, Ginger & Coconut Soup. You’ll taste how sweetness, spice, umami, and saltiness balance each other, while building on the skills you developed in the first exercise and continuing your journey toward perfect flavour harmony.

In this exercise, we’ll put your flavour balancing skills to the test with a Well-Balanced Salad. You’ll practice combining a variety of flavours (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami), into a cohesive, delicious salad for two.