The Cooking Language is a new method to make the process of cooking more dynamic and creative. It is a tool to give cookers some new ideas when standing in a kitchen. The method is based on the Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander. It is a collection of "cooking words" which captures the relationships between the ingredients inside a dish, and gives the relationships a unique name. The Cooking Language is composed by a subset of languages that each focus on a certain ingredient e.g. Egg Language, Onion Language, Tofu Language, etc.. Inside each subset of language, there is a collection of cooking words that each capture an aspect of how the ingredient can be used in a dish, and how it interacts with other ingredients. During the actual cooking process, the cooking words will become a source for ideas to add an extra ingredient. The words will also become a help to prevent or solve any problems that come up during the cooking.In addition to this, the cooking words will become a tool to understand recipes and dishes by other people. When the Cooking Language becomes more abundant, it will ultimately replace the recipe, as a way of sharing the knowledge of cooking.

1. cooking language
taichi isaku, emi kubonaga, takashi iba
Keio University, Japan

2. cooking language
taichi isaku, emi kubonaga, takashi iba
Keio University, Japan

3. Taichi Isaku
Pattern Writer for Creativity and Cooking
・Collaboration Patterns
・Creative CoCooking Patterns
・Global Life Patterns
・Parenting Patterns (on progress)
etc..

4. objective:
To apply Alexander’s theory of centers and patterns
to create a new method of cooking

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12. limitations of a recipe

13. limitations of a recipe
out of
daily contexts
lack of
creativity

14. limitations of a recipe
out of
daily contexts
lack of
creativity
many of us don’t need
a recipe when we cook

15. limitations of a recipe
out of
daily contexts
lack of
creativity
Just following the directions on
a recipe exactly is not at all creative

16. limitations of a recipe
out of
daily contexts
lack of
creativity

17. recipes WILL CONTINUE to be
an important way to pass down knowledge
and a reference for what and how to cook
but

18. we also need a way
to cook more creatively and dynamically
recipes WILL CONTINUE to be
an important way to pass down knowledge
and a reference for what and how to cook
but

19. cooking language

20. cooking language
a new way to enhance
creativity in the kitchen

21. cooking language
a new way to enhance
creativity in the kitchen
focuses on a single food item
and names the ways it is used in dishes

22. ontology
The cooking language is a collection of sublanguages,
each a collection of “cooking words”

23. cooking language
ontology
The cooking language is a collection of sublanguages,
each a collection of “cooking words”

24. cooking language
ontology
The cooking language is a collection of sublanguages,
each a collection of “cooking words”
onion language tofu languageegg language

25. Taste Trap Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Glaze
cooking language
ontology
The cooking language is a collection of sublanguages,
each a collection of “cooking words”
onion language tofu languageegg language

26. Taste Trap Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Glaze
(onion words) (tofu words)
cooking language
ontology
The cooking language is a collection of sublanguages,
each a collection of “cooking words”
onion language tofu languageegg language

27. Taste Trap Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Glaze
(onion words) (tofu words)
cooking language
ontology
cooking words
The cooking language is a collection of sublanguages,
each a collection of “cooking words”
onion language tofu languageegg language

28. Taste Trap Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Glaze
egg language

29. an egg

30. /
I: B
: B :
E :
B /
CC?
an egg

31. layout
Egg Sauce
No.13
two-page
spread

32. Egg Sauce
No.13
name
illustration
context
explanation
examples
33
Egg Sauce
Eggs and toast
Egg sandwiches
Egg Benedicts
When eating bread or rice with eggs
you can use the eggs as a sauce
just as you would put on jam or butter.
▼
layout

33. H E CB B B ?C ?CBC : ?H CB2 C C E: 0 CE 0CB

34. H E CB B B ?C ?CBC : ?H CB

35. Simple
Star
Wild
Card
Richness
Add-on
Stiffness
Gradient
Fluffy
Material
Golden
Yolk
Taste
Mildizer
Clinging
Veil
Egg
Clay
Taste
Trap
Ingredient
Pocket
Taste
Sponge
Yolk
Capsule
Oil
Cotton
Taste
Jellifier
Moist
Base
Yolk
Glaze
Egg
Glue
19 Total
Egg Words
Found
Egg
Sauce

36. Simple
Star
Wild
Card
Richness
Add-on
Stiffness
Gradient
Fluffy
Material
Golden
Yolk
Taste
Mildizer
Clinging
Veil
Egg
Clay
Taste
Trap
Ingredient
Pocket
Taste
Sponge
Yolk
Capsule
Oil
Cotton
Taste
Jellifier
Moist
Base
Yolk
Glaze
Egg
Glue
19 Total
Egg Words
Found
Egg
Sauce
“The yolk of the egg can itself
become a sauce for bread or rice”

37. Simple
Star
Wild
Card
Richness
Add-on
Stiffness
Gradient
Fluffy
Material
Golden
Yolk
Taste
Mildizer
Clinging
Veil
Egg
Clay
Taste
Trap
Ingredient
Pocket
Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Capsule
Oil
Cotton
Taste
Jellifier
Moist
Base
Egg
Glue
19 Total
Egg Words
Found
Yolk
Glaze
“You can paint some yolk on
top of pastry to get an glaze
effect when baked”

38. Simple
Star
Wild
Card
Richness
Add-on
Stiffness
Gradient
Fluffy
Material
Golden
Yolk
Taste
Mildizer
Clinging
Veil
Egg
Clay
Taste
Trap
Ingredient
Pocket
Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Capsule
Oil
Cotton
Taste
Jellifier
Moist
Base
Egg
Glue
19 Total
Egg Words
Found
Yolk
Glaze

39. 3 uses of the Cooking Language

40. 3 uses of the Cooking Language
source for ideas while cooking
guideline for making cooking decisions
tool to analyze dishes by others

41. Katsu-don
(japanese-style
pork cutlets
cooked with eggs)
2 C C E: 0 CE 0CB

42. Katsu-don
(japanese-style
pork cutlets
cooked with eggs)
2 C C E: 0 CE 0CB
B B 5:

43. an egg

44. I can cook some
soup and use
the eggs as
a“Taste Sponge”
an egg

45. I can toast
some bread
and make some
poached eggs
to use it as
“Egg Sauce”
I can cook some
soup and use
the eggs as
a“Taste Sponge”
an egg

46. I can toast
some bread
and make some
poached eggs
to use it as
“Egg Sauce”
I’ll have to keep
“Stiffness
Gradient” in my
mind so that I
don’t overcook the
sunny-side ups
I can cook some
soup and use
the eggs as
a“Taste Sponge”
an egg

47. I can toast
some bread
and make some
poached eggs
to use it as
“Egg Sauce”
Oh, I could use
the eggs in the
fridge to add
some “Clinging
Veil to this dish!
I’ll have to keep
“Stiffness
Gradient” in my
mind so that I
don’t overcook the
sunny-side ups
I can cook some
soup and use
the eggs as
a“Taste Sponge”
an egg

48. Taste Trap Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Glaze
egg language

49. Taste Trap Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Glaze
(onion words) (tofu words)
cooking language
onion language tofu languageegg language

50. linking back to Alexander

51. a system of Centers enforcing one another
through connection and overlap
Wholeness
a physical system that occupies space
with a specially marked coherence
Centers
Centers exist chiefly in relation to the Wholeness

52. a system of Centers enforcing one another
through connection and overlap
Wholeness
a physical system that occupies space
with a specially marked coherence
Centers
B E: :B
:
Ingredients exist chiefly in relation to the Whole Dish

53. The Wholeness of a dish

54. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
(the whole)

55. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
beef
(the whole)

56. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
beef
onions
(the whole)

57. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
beef
carrots onions
(the whole)

58. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
beef
carrots onions
oil
(the whole)

59. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
salt
beef
carrots onions
oil
(the whole)

60. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
herbs
salt
beef
carrots onions
oil
(the whole)

61. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
herbs
salt
beef
carrots onions
water
oil
(the whole)

62. The Wholeness of a dish
beef stew
herbs
salt
beef
carrots onions
water
oil
each
ingredient
is a center
(the whole)

63. The ingredients define the dish
&
The dish defines the role of the ingredients

64. Patterns
rules for creating a new living center
to enforce the Whole
Patterns
rules for creating a new living center
to enforce the Whole

65. Patterns
rules for creating a new living center
to enforce the Whole
Cooking Words
rules for creating a new living center
to enforce the Whole
B

66. Future Work

67. Properties
Structural features that are recurrent
among things with a Wholeness
that show how centers enforce one another

68. Taste Trap Taste
Sponge
Egg
Sauce
Yolk
Glaze
(onion words) (tofu words)
cooking language
onion language tofu languageegg language
find similar structures + functions among
different sublanguages

69. Properties
Structural features that are recurrent
among things with a Wholeness
that show how centers enforce one another
Properties
Structural features that are recurrent
among things with a Wholeness
that show how centers enforce one another

70. Cooking Properties
Structural features that are recurrent
among delicious dishes
that show how ingredients enforce one another
Properties
Structural features that are recurrent
among things with a Wholeness
that show how centers enforce one another

71. Generative Cooking Patterns(EuroPLoP14)
A method of making and using patterns for cooking
that helps decision-making in the kitchen
Past Works
Creative CoCooking Patterns(EuroPLoP15)
A pattern language for cooking to make the process
more social and creative

72. Thesse patterns should also create new centers
which will enforce the Wholeness of cooking

73. Thesse patterns should also create new centers
which will enforce the Wholeness of cooking
consider the relationship between
the Cooking Language and these patterns
& enforce this connection

74. lastly: a word about culture
Alexander (NOO 1):
Wholeness includes cultural aspects:
the particular set of centers define the cultural
variances that we experience in the world.

75. lastly: a word about culture
Alexander (NOO 1):
Wholeness includes cultural aspects:
the particular set of centers define the cultural
variances that we experience in the world.
The cooking language differs between cultures:
a different set of cooking words exist for the same ingredient.

76. lastly: a word about culture
Alexander (NOO 1):
Wholeness includes cultural aspects:
the particular set of centers define the cultural
variances that we experience in the world.
The cooking language differs between cultures:
a different set of cooking words exist for the same ingredient.
The use of the Cooking Language as a tool for
understanding culture

77. lastly: a word about culture
Alexander (NOO 1):
Wholeness includes cultural aspects:
the particular set of centers define the cultural
variances that we experience in the world.
The cooking language differs between cultures:
a different set of cooking words exist for the same ingredient.
The use of the Cooking Language as a tool for
understanding culture
cooking language