What if the music playing in your restaurant could actually make your food taste better? Not just create ambiance, but literally change how diners perceive flavor? Tennessee Tourism is betting big on this idea with their new Sound Bites campaign, and the science backs them up.
This isn’t some marketing gimmick: it’s a fascinating intersection of neuroscience, culinary arts, and music that could reshape how we think about the dining experience. And for restaurant operators, chefs, and hospitality professionals, it’s worth paying attention to.
The Science Behind Sonic Seasoning
Sonic seasoning is the phenomenon where specific musical elements: tempo, pitch, instrumentation: can influence how our brains perceive the five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Dr. Charles Spence, an experimental psychologist at Oxford University, has spent years researching this multisensory connection, and his findings are pretty wild.
High-pitched tones can make dishes taste sweeter. Bass-heavy tracks can enhance umami and savory notes. Even the crunch sounds we hear while eating can make food seem fresher and crispier. It’s not just about mood: it’s about fundamentally altering taste perception through sound.
Think about it: We already pair wine with food based on flavor profiles. Tennessee’s asking, “Why not pair music with food the same way?”
When Music Legends Meet Culinary Masters
Tennessee’s Sound Bites campaign brings this concept to life through collaborations between the state’s top chefs and artists across three regions. Each pairing resulted in original dishes and songs designed to be experienced together: and the results are showcased in short films available at TNSoundBites.com.
Middle Tennessee: Rustic Roots and Banjo Strings
In Nashville, Ben Rector teamed up with Chef Philip Krajeck of the acclaimed Rolf and Daughters. Krajeck created a dish that honors Tennessee’s agricultural heritage by using every part of the tomato: one of the region’s most rustic ingredients. Rector responded with “From the Ground Up,” a banjo-led track shaped by his grandfather’s memories, using every part of Nashville’s most authentic instrument.
The pairing is brilliant: the earthiness of tomatoes paired with the organic, woody tones of banjo creates a complete sensory experience that transports diners to Tennessee farmland.
West Tennessee: Memphis Soul Meets Southern Flavor
Memphis has always been about cultural fusion, and this collaboration proves it. DJ Paul (co-founder of Three 6 Mafia), Southern Avenue, rapper Lil Wyte, and producer Boo Mitchell gathered at the legendary Royal Studios to create a high-energy track celebrating food, family, and gathering around the table.
Their musical partner? Chef Felicia Willett of Felicia Suzanne’s: and here’s a fun connection for our readers: DJ Paul graced the cover of Food & Beverage Magazine back in 2012! His innovative Southern cuisine, rooted in Memphis traditions but elevated with modern techniques, is the perfect match for the city’s genre-blending music scene.
The pairing captures Memphis’s spirit: bold, unexpected, and unapologetically itself. The sonic seasoning here amplifies the richness and complexity of Willett’s dishes through rhythm and soul.
East Tennessee: Appalachian Traditions and Country Heart
In Townsend, country artists Lee Brice, David Tolliver, and Billy Montana collaborated with Chef Jeff Carter of Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro. This pairing dives deep into Appalachian culinary traditions: think locally sourced ingredients, mountain flavors, and dishes passed down through generations.
The country music backdrop enhances the comfort and nostalgia inherent in Appalachian cuisine, proving that sonic seasoning works especially well when music and food share cultural roots.
Try It Yourself: The Interactive Pairing Tool
Here’s where things get really interesting for restaurant operators and beverage directors. Tennessee didn’t just create a campaign: they built an interactive music pairing tool that anyone can use at TNSoundBites.com.
Enter any dish, and the tool identifies its primary flavor profiles. From there, it generates curated playlists designed to complement those flavors. You can toggle between different playlists and actually feel how the music subtly changes your perception of taste.
This is a game-changer for restaurants thinking about their dining room experience. Imagine programming your restaurant’s playlist not just for ambiance, but strategically to enhance specific menu items. A dessert menu could be paired with higher-pitched, melodic tracks to boost perceived sweetness. A steakhouse could lean into bass and percussion to amplify umami and savory depth.
Why This Matters for the Food & Beverage Industry
Commissioner Mark Ezell of Tennessee’s Department of Tourist Development puts it perfectly: “For centuries, people have paired food with wine. Now, we’re asking, ‘Why not food and music?’ Sound Bites brings together two things Tennessee does better than anywhere else: bold flavors and unforgettable music: to create truly unique, immersive experiences that turn a visit into a lasting memory.”
But this isn’t just about Tennessee. The Sound Bites campaign highlights a bigger trend in hospitality: sensory tourism and multisensory dining experiences. Today’s diners: especially Gen Z and millennials: don’t just want a meal. They want an experience that engages multiple senses simultaneously.
According to our own coverage of hospitality technology trends, restaurants that create memorable, shareable moments see higher customer loyalty and social media engagement. Sonic seasoning is just another tool in that toolkit.
Practical Applications for Your Restaurant
So how can you apply sonic seasoning principles to your operation?
Start with your existing playlist. Analyze the tempo, pitch, and instrumentation of what you’re currently playing. Does it align with your menu’s flavor profiles? A high-energy dance track might work against a delicate tasting menu, while smooth jazz could enhance chocolate desserts.
Consider menu sections. You could program different music for different dining stages: upbeat tracks during appetizers to stimulate appetite, mellower tones during mains to encourage savoring, and sweet-enhancing melodies during dessert service.
Test and iterate. Use feedback cards or digital surveys to see if diners notice when you experiment with sonic seasoning. Track dessert sales when you play higher-pitched music versus bass-heavy tracks.
Collaborate with local artists. Tennessee’s campaign works because it’s authentic to the state’s culture. Your restaurant could partner with local musicians to create signature tracks that pair with signature dishes, building community connections and unique brand identity.
The Future of Multisensory Dining
The Sound Bites campaign represents where the industry is heading: toward fully immersive dining experiences that engage every sense. We’ve already seen this with menu innovation trends and the rise of experiential dining concepts.
Sonic seasoning is the next frontier. It’s science-backed, it’s cost-effective (you’re already playing music anyway), and it gives guests something to talk about: both in person and on social media.
Tennessee Tourism has created a blueprint for how destinations and restaurants can think differently about the dining experience. Whether you’re running a fine-dining establishment in Manhattan or a barbecue joint in Texas, the principles of sonic seasoning can enhance what you’re already doing.
Check out TNSoundBites.com to experience the campaign firsthand and experiment with their pairing tool. Who knows? The perfect playlist might be the secret ingredient your menu has been missing.
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Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
