Can taller food improve flavour?

A review of old Australian food commercials on YouTube from the 1960s to the present day indicates that plated food has grown significantly taller over the years. The review, conducted for Yumi’s, found that burgers, for instance, had, on average, tripled in thickness over five decades while pizza widths had remained virtually static.

It may be slightly more challenging to eat taller foods, but a recent Oxford University study found that eating with your mouth open can enhance the taste of food. It was also found that chewing with the mouth open can help ‘release more volatile organic compounds’ that enhance our sense of smell and the overall eating experience.

In response to these findings, Yumi’s is now experimenting with new taller burgers, fritters and bites, and is shaping them to enable easy construction of high-rise meals. “We call it the ‘Yumami’ effect,” said Susan Booker, head of product innovation at Yumi’s. “Taste is our first priority — and if wider bites make our food even tastier, that’s got to be a winner.”

The record for the world’s tallest burger is thought to belong to the Mehiläis Pesä restaurant, in the town of Lapinjärvi, Finland, which built a 100 kg, 9 m-tall burger.

Yumi’s core burger range comes in four varieties: Classic Veggie Burger, Lentil and Zucchini Burger, Roast Veggie Burger and Mediterranean Veggie Burger.

Image credit: iStock.com/Stormcab