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 books Endangered Eating: America’s Vanishing Foods and Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine. She focuses on the history of food as a way to access the stories of diverse Americans. Endangered Eating was a New York Times Editors’ Choice, and was named one of the Best Books of 2023 by Amazon’s Editors, Food & Wine, and Adam Gopnik on the Milk Street podcast. It was a finalist for the Nach Waxman Prize for Food & Drink Scholarship and winner of the Ohioana Library Book Prize for Nonfiction. Lohman’s work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and NPR. Lohman has lectured across the country, from the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC to The Culinary Historians of Southern California
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.
See more @dangerscarf
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!
