Tasteless Navigating
Taste Compass
Navigate ingredient combinations using taste, texture, and sensation — helping food feel satisfying even when taste or smell is reduced.
How to use the compass
Choose different directions
Combine ingredients from different parts of the compass rather than relying on one dominant taste.
Add texture contrast
Pair soft with crisp or creamy with crunchy to create a fuller eating experience.
Use sensation carefully
Heat, cooling, or sharpness can help create impact when taste is reduced.
Interactive tool
Build a Taste Compass profile
Adjust the taste dimensions, then add texture and sensation to see how balanced a dish might feel.
Taste dimensions
Texture
Chemical heat & sensation
Compass reading
This dish currently has strongest emphasis on Umami. It includes 1 texture marker and 0 sensation markers.
Salty
Adds depth and savouriness.
Sweet
Brings balance and roundness.
Acidic
Adds brightness and lift.
Bitter
Adds contrast and complexity.
Umami
Builds savoury satisfaction.
A well-balanced example
Broiled haloumi cheese, honey, and a water biscuit combine saltiness, sweetness, and crunch. The result is simple, structured, and satisfying.
An unbalanced example
Anchovies, olives, and capers can become too similar because saltiness dominates. Without contrast, the eating experience can feel flat.