Whatever the nature of the gathering - whether it's breakfast, a business lunch or dinner with friends - we want to make it enjoyable. The choice of restaurant can be determined by the fame of the chef or the type of dishes served there, but just as often by the perception of the signals our surroundings send us. And it's not just a matter of whether we like the Scandinavian or rustic, industrial or glamorous décor. Light, colour, sound, shape and even weight also influence how a dish will taste.

So breakfast, which is meant to energise us and give us energy for the rest of the day, requires a brighter light than the one in which we want to have a celebratory dinner. In the evening, dim, atmospheric light works best, where lit candles will create an intimate atmosphere. Such light encourages a slower tasting of more refined dishes. 

Just as the colour of food influences the taste experience, this relationship also applies to the colour of the dishes. For example, we associate red with sweetness, evoking the taste of ripe fruit. An experiment conducted in 2011 on 60 participants showed that salty popcorn eaten from a red bowl seemed sweeter than that from a white bowl. The colour blue, on the other hand, takes away the appetite, which is also well known to cookbook publishers, who do not bind their books with blue covers. The safest in this respect always remains elegant white, contrasting with the colour of the dish, but don't be afraid of black either. It has been proven that, like pink, it enhances the flavour of desserts. Speaking of sweets, avoid square crockery. Experiments have shown that the same dessert served on a round plate and on a square plate, tasted from the former seemed sweeter. 

Not only the plates, but also the weight of the cutlery plays a role in the perception of food taste. The larger it is, the higher the quality of the dish appears. For guests who are not culinary experts, it is difficult to judge at the table which grade of beef the beefsteak was fried from. This only an experienced chef can do. However, the heavier the cutlery they use, the better the meat will seem to them. 

Finally, we cannot fail to mention sound. The music flowing in the background should be unobtrusive enough not to interfere with conversation and encourage you to stay at the table for longer.

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