“Just like becoming an expert in wine–you learn by drinking it, the best you can afford–you learn about great food by finding the best there is, whether simply or luxurious. Then you savour it, analyse it, and discuss it with your companions, and you compare it with other experiences.”

― Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Flowers, food, and fragrance have long been powerful forms of expression—anchoring memory, shaping culture, and awakening creativity through the senses. In this episode, we explore Mastering the Art of French Cooking through a multisensory lens, where aroma is just as essential as technique. This conversation invites us to consider cooking not only as craft, but as a richly layered sensory experience—one that engages smell, taste, touch, and imagination.

Our guest is Jeffrey Paul Ames, also known as The Aromatic Gourmet—a chef and botanical perfumer whose work sits at the intersection of gastronomy and fragrance. Drawing inspiration from his Italian family’s aromatic kitchen, as well as his teaching at the Institute for Art and Olfaction, Jeffrey has developed The Aromatic Gourmet, a thoughtful class series that explores cross‑modal sensorial practices through hands‑on, in‑person sessions. Each class guides participants through an olfacto‑gustatory journey using aromatic flowers, edible flowers, hydrosols, botanical extracts, and traditional techniques such as maceration, all grounded in cultural and historical context.

In this episode, Jeffrey shares how he creates what he calls “edible perfumes” through salts, syrups, spices, and thoughtful food preparation—revealing how fragrance can transform flavor and deepen our connection to what we eat. He offers creative insights into aroma, craft, and sensory awareness, along with simple, accessible ways to bring more intention, color, and joy into everyday meals. If you’ve ever wanted to cook like a perfumer, use scent to anchor memory, or rediscover mindfulness through food, this episode is truly a feast for the senses.

Fragrances mentioned:

Bois des Îles (Excluif) - Chanel

L’Heure Bleu - Guerlain

Mitsouko - Guerlain

Book discussed:

Mastering the Art of French Cooking - Julia Child

France is a Feast: The Photographic Journey of Paul and Julia Child - Alex Prud’Homme & Katie Pratt

Extra research:

The History Chicks podcast on Julia Child

Find the Aromatic Gourmet on

@thearomaticgourmet

Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“For Man is held by everything he holds. Release your grip on things if you would not be in their grip.”

― Mikhail Naimy, The Book of Mirdad: The Strange Story of a Monastery which was Once Called The Ark

This conversation with George Chlouk moves through fragrance, philosophy, and the emotional terrain of being human in challenging times. We begin with the cultural depth of Lebanese perfumery—its reliance on local flora, the influences of tourism and tradition, and ancient techniques like enfleurage that still echo through contemporary scent‑making.

From there, the discussion expands into the transformational ideas found in The Book of Mirdad: The Strange Story of a Monastery Which Was Once Called The Ark. Its reflections on letting go, navigating change, and embracing uncertainty become touchpoints as George and our host consider how individuals evolve—much like raw materials becoming something entirely new through alchemy.

The conversation doesn’t shy away from the complexities of the world around us and the dissonance of trying to maintain “normalcy” in the presence of violence. Literature, spirituality, and fragrance all emerge as grounding forces—ways of processing reality and making meaning when the world feels unstable.

Through it all, scent remains a vital thread. George offers insight into how fragrance interacts with identity and place: how comfort, memory, culture, and aspiration shape what we wear and how we move through the world.

Fragrances mentioned:

Eau de Campagne - Sisley

Édition Imperiale - Courvoisier

Bois d’Encens - Armani Prive

Book discussed:

The Book of Mirdad: The Strange Story of a Monastery Which Was Once Called The Ark - Mikhail Naimy

Find George on

Instagram: @intuitive_alchemy_

Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.