MSG: Friend or Foe? at the Institute of Culinary Education
Taught by Sarah Lohman and Jonathan Soma
Sarah Lohman is a culinary historian and the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed book Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine. She focuses on the history of American food as a way to access stories of women, immigrants, and people of color, and to address issues of racism, sexism, and xenophobia. Her work has been featured inTheWall Street Journal andThe New York Times, as well as onAll Things Considered; and she has presented across the country, from the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC to The Culinary Historians of Southern California. She is also 1/2 of the Masters of Social Gastronomy, a monthly food science and history talk at Caveat NYC, with Brainery co-founder Jonathan Soma.
Soma was born in the South, is what someone from the North would say. He co-founded the Brainery, is the sciencey half of Masters of Social Gastronomy, and plans on getting married to Waffle House. In his more droll moments he is a tragic sellout to higher ed as a professor of data journalism at Columbia University's journalism school.
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Join us for a special evening of talks at the Institute of Culinary Education looking at that mysterious and much-maligned seasoning: monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG.
Sarah Lohman, author of Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine, will trace the long history of MSG in traditional Japanese food, as well as the story of Dr. Kikunae Ikeda, the scientist who discovered it. She'll unveil how MSG ended up on American shores--and why Americans eventually grew to fear it.
Soma will take on modern-day interpretations of MSG, from its role in "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" to its many relatives hiding in everyday foods. Science fact will be separated from science fiction as myths are deflated and truths laid bare.
Between Sarah and Soma’s talks, we will have a special culinary demonstration by ICE Chef-Instructor, Maria Tampakis.
Ticket includes drinks from Highspire Whiskey + a snack. 21+ only! This talk takes place at the Institute of Culinary Education, located at 225 Liberty Street in Manhattan. For security purposes, you must enter a first and last name on the next page in order to receive admission to the event. Advance ticket purchase required and ticket sales close Monday at 4pm!
