Why Do Playlists Matter?

As I embark on writing my first book, I took an online cookbook writing course by Sumayya Usmani, where I picked up some valuable insights. One of the first questions asked was, “What is the purpose of your cookbook?” At first, I thought it would simply be a fun way to share my love for music and meals, since people often commented on the great playlists I curated while we ate. But as I dug deeper into my ‘why,’ I realized that music isn’t just background noise during dining. It’s much more than that. Music is the key that unlocks our most precious emotions.

I began using music as a form of communication the moment I bought my first dual cassette deck. This wasn’t just about making mix tapes; it was about transmitting emotions, sending signals through carefully chosen songs. I’d craft these tapes not only for friends but for that girl I wanted to connect with, believing that music could speak where my words fell short. Each tape was a coded message, a bridge between my inner world and theirs. I would spend hours perfecting them, meticulously timing each song to fill the 60-minute cassette front and back, making sure the rhythm and energy flowed seamlessly. And when 120-minute cassettes were released, it was like being handed a larger canvas, giving me more space to curate and share my excitement for these special songs that caught my soul’s undivided attention. Then came burning CDs and then the ultimate… MP3s. MPEG-1 Audio Layer III made the impossible possible. Suddenly, the limits of physical media were gone. There were no more time constraints of tape or CD, there was now freedom to instantly share limitless emotional experiences with someone. It was beyond dreaming. It was utopia. As Steve Jobs famously stated, “1,000 songs in your pocket.”

Each mix I created wasn’t just a collection of songs; it was a journey. I would carefully guide the listener through emotional highs and lows, syncopating the rhythm, and building moments of tension and release. Every track had a purpose, creating a subliminal conversation that connected us far beyond words. It was a gift—more than sound, it was a lasting imprint on the soul.

This brings me to the connection between music and food. The way we eat, savor, and enjoy is deeply intertwined with rhythm, sound, and melody. Music elevates dining from a routine to a sensory experience. As you join me on this journey, you’ll discover how I use playlists to trigger emotions, enhance flavors, and create unforgettable moments. It’s about tapping into the deep, instinctual bonds between music and food, where each bite and each note come together to heighten the sensory experience.

THE PLAYLIST PRINCIPLE

I’ve developed three foundational principles for choosing music to accompany meals—Flow, Arc, and Symbiosis. Or as I like to call it, F.A.S. With these principles, you can curate a dining experience that doesn’t just involve food, but creates meaningful connections between taste, memory, and emotion.

1. Flow: Rhythm and Harmony

Music, at its core, is not entertainment—it’s a primal language. It acts like a key, unlocking emotional doors to rooms we didn’t even know existed. Rhythm and harmony tap into our most ancient instincts, bypassing conscious thought and speaking directly to our body. This is why the pace of music shapes not just how we listen, but how we feel. When the rhythm pulses in time with our own heartbeats, we connect more deeply. The harmonic tones vibrate in our bones, aligning with our emotions. It’s visceral. To eat to the right music is to engage all senses in harmony—this is not a coincidence, this is nature. So, choose music that makes you and your guests feel something. Whether it’s calm intimacy or energetic joy, let your playlist carry the emotional tone for an unforgettable meal.

2. Arc: Music as a Journey

A meal is more than a series of courses; it’s a journey. And like any great journey, there is a starting point, a midpoint, and an arrival, or ending point, and your playlist should have these three things as well. A well-curated playlist follows this arc, leading diners on an emotional and sensory journey from anticipation to satisfaction. The arc helps you to bring your guests along by exposing them to sound and taste—every song should reinforce the mood on the plate. You’re not just serving food; you’re serving an experience.

3. Symbiosis: The Code of Identity

Music is a critical element of cultural identity. When we match the music to the cultural roots of the food, we tap into generations of lived experiences. These people don’t just taste food—they feel a connection to its origins, to the traditions that shaped it. Maybe it was your Nani's okra in tamarind gravy, or in my case, my Great Uncle's pancakes with tree sap. Whether a sitar or an accordion, when done right, the music will resonate with the memories of place and time to create a powerful connection between culture, taste, and music. When you prepare a meal with music you want to have your guests fall in love with the experience you create. Allow them in to be a part of something deeply meaningful, even if only for an evening.

Hopefully, this becomes more than just a cookbook for you—it’s a guide to creating your own rituals, your own stories, and your own shared moments through music and food. This week I am sharing my first playlist from the cookbook, From Playlist to Plate: The Art of Pairing Music with Food. I was feeling in a BBQ mood when I created this playlist [Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube]. Let me know what you think!

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Cheers!

*Image of Sanyo M-7880K Boombox Stereo Cassette Recorder courtesy of Nikita Linkin