MindCooking - A Visual Approach to Cooking. Biggerplate Unplugged Berlin (Oct 2014)

Marion Lercher presents “MindCooking,” a creative method that uses mind maps to design, visualize, and cook traditional Austrian dishes. Her approach transforms recipe development into an engaging, visual process—beginning with the central concept of the dish (e.g. “Schnitzel”) and branching out into flavor profiles, ingredients, preparation steps, cooking techniques, and presentation ideas. Throughout the talk, Marion emphasizes flexibility: branches can be color-coded to represent spices, textures, or seasonal themes; icons help signal dietary constraints or special techniques (like frying vs baking). The map evolves dynamically as ideas are added—say, pairing chutneys with meat—enabling spontaneous refinements. This technique supports both cooking experimentation and clear documentation of process flows. Marion showcases several examples, including regional desserts, where mind maps help layer components like crusts, fillings, garnishes, and plating styles. She argues that this visual recipe planning encourages creativity, aids memory, and improves communication with collaborators or cooks. In essence, “MindCooking” reimagines culinary creativity as a structured yet playful visual map—empowering cooks to explore variations, iterate ideas, and appreciate the interplay of flavors and techniques. Timestamped Highlights 00:00–00:30 – Introduction to “MindCooking” concept 00:31–01:30 – Building a map: central dish ? ingredients, flavors, techniques 01:31–02:30 – Using color codes and icons for dietary tags and cooking methods 02:31–03:30 – Evolving the map: branching into presentation and plating ideas 03:31–04:30 – Case studies: traditional Austrian dishes mapped visually 04:31–05:30 – Advantages: creative freedom, better documentation, collaborative clarity 05:31–06:15 – Final thoughts: making cooking a visual, iterative, and communal process