By Benjamin Ibarra
MOFAD new entrance on the second floor of Empire Store Building. Photograph by Benjamin Ibarra.
The Museum of Food and Drink, MOFAD, has officially reopened its doors in a new location – DUMBO, Brooklyn, above Time Out’s curated food hall.
MOFAD re-enters the culture scene with its brand new exhibit, “Flavor: The World to Your
Brain,” which takes you on a sensory journey through the science and culture of taste. Interactive essential oil display. Photograph by Benjamin Ibarra.
The exhibit is the brainchild of a team of culinary enthusiasts and anthropologists. Notably, Dr. KC Hysmith, Director of Communications, and Catherine Piccoli, Curatorial Director, have Master’s degrees in Food Studies, a field of study offered as a minor at York College. A minor that weaves in the importance of food in our culture and how it plays a part in our identity.
“We’ve heard from NYC-based food scientists, chefs, tourists, long-time MOFAD fans, and even groups like Brooklyn Bridge Parents who are all excited about our new space and the exhibition,” said Hysmith.
Flavor Exhibit
The new exhibit delves into the world of how our brains perceive and react to different flavors. It dives into the science, history, and cultural influence of flavor, offering a unique perspective on how we experience the world through taste.
Visitors gain insights into the complex world of natural and artificial flavors.
“I hope visitors leave understanding but are still pondering over how humans have flavored food for the past ten thousand years by adding sugar (8000 BCE), salt (6000 BCE), spices (4000 BCE), and essential oils (~1000 CE). Flavor isn’t new!” said Hysmith.
Timeline of flavors by Benjamin Ibarra
“Our goals follow MOFAD’s mission to educate eaters and celebrate all ways of eating. MOFAD believes that informed eaters are better eaters and that food is personal,” said Piccoli, Curatorial Director.
“I’d heard of the museum before and had planned to visit DUMBO for a “get out of the house Saturday,” so I made visiting the museum part of my day. Also, I really love food and wanted to see what it was all about.” – Christopher Morrison, a patron at MOFAD.
MOFAD
The museum closed its MOFAD Lab in Williamsburg in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their previous exhibit, African/American: Making the Nation’s Table, was hosted by The Africa Center at Aliko Dangote Hall in Harlem in 2022. They are now in their new home in DUMBO, inside of Empire Stores. You can find Time Out Market New York on the first floor of the building, which has restaurants picked by Time Out editors.
“A big component for all our exhibitions is remembering that food is part of culture. We each come to food with our cultural influences and expectations,” said Hysmith.
Food Studies
Professor Samuel Ghelli started a Minor in Food Studies eight years ago at York College. Ghelli started the program out of his passion for food, which he credits to his upbringing in Italy. He developed his Humanitarian course at York College called Food is Culture: The Success of “Made in Italy.”
“I wanted to offer York students the opportunity for students to reflect. Italian food is very famous, and it’s a good starting point,” Ghelli said. “The fundamental experience of the joy of food and what food means in terms of relationship, quality of life, amusement, and pleasure is why I started to think about a food program here. I would like to make an even bigger program.”
The minor brings together courses offered in different departments based on food. There are 15 courses available, such as Psychology of Food, Nutrition, and Hunger and Agriculture in Developing Nations. The minor integrates humanities and sciences to equip students with an educational background to tackle global food, health, culture, and sustainability issues.
Ghelli’s food course used to be hands-on. One of his lessons required students to cook with a simple ingredient as a take-home project. He would also have food demonstrations in class, such as showing students how to finish and bake off focaccia dough he prepared ahead of time. He hoped to show students that it’s possible to take straightforward ingredients like flour, oil, yeast, and salt to make something delicious and special. The course has remained an asynchronous online course since the start COVID-19 pandemic.
“Through food, we can express how we like to be viewed. It’s an extremely important cultural element of our experience,” said Ghelli.
Hysmith and Piccoli say,” Everybody eats, so food studies can extend into and support many disciplines and fields.”
“I’d heard of the museum before and had planned to visit DUMBO for a “get out of the house Saturday,” so I made visiting the museum part of my day. Also, I really love food and wanted to see what it was all about,” said Christopher Morrison, a patron at MOFAD.
Hysmith and Piccoli say their team believes curiosity about where your food comes from leads to curiosity about the world around you – food helps to connect people across cultural barriers.
