You know what really makes food sing? A little sonic seasoning.

Christmas by QT at Home comes with all the trimmings, including the perfect pairing: a sensory dining experience.

We’ve paired each dish with the perfect Christmas song to strike just the right note of tones and flavours. It’s backed by science too. Oxford University researchers found pairing dishes with the right music can enhance flavour. Just look at the Swiss cheesemakers who blast Led Zeppelin to add depth to a particularly porous cheese and London fishmongers who charge a premium for fish prepared to live music.

Have a peek at our pairings below and start feasting.

Food preparation:

Kick off the merriment and prime your tastebuds with the ultimate Christmas amuse bouche. We’ve chosen hype-up songs to lift the heart rate and raise your Christmas spirit while you prepare your meal. Kick it off with Mariah Carey’s classic All I want for Christmas and set the table to Step Into Christmas by Elton John.

Dish Pairings:

Queue your playlist, sit down and devour your dishes with the ultimate sensory seasoning. Eat in order or enjoy as the songs play.

Chilled Tiger Prawns + Cognac-horseradish Marie rose + Lemon
Best enjoyed with: Frosty The Snowman – Ella Fitzgerald
Keep the chilled prawns frosty with the chilled sounds of Ella Fitzgerald. Scientists have found when food is paired with classical and melodic sounds, it increases the enjoyment of the meal. As an experiment, try listening to heavy metal music and see if your taste buds can spot a difference.

Sydney Rock Oysters + Mignonette
Best enjoyed with:
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas – Michael Buble
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – Dean Martin
Listening to slow and steady music while eating has been found to slow down food intake, allowing you to avoid that pesky food coma. Humans subconsciously eat to the beat of the music, so the slower tempo allows you to savour the flavours of the oysters.

Petuna Smoked Salmon + Lemon + Dill + Capers
Best enjoyed with: Jingle Bells – Frank Sinatra
The smoky sounds of Sinatra’s voice make the flavours of smoked salmon sing.

Sterling Caviar + Crème Fraiche + Chives + Blinis
Best enjoyed with: White Christmas – George Ezra
Lower tones have been found to bring out salty and bitter flavours of food. Experiment yourself with caviar and its various accompaniments to see if you taste different flavours throughout the playlist.

White Bean Hummus + Flat Bread
Best enjoyed with: Christmas Lights – Coldplay
To keep things light for the rest of your meal, Coldplay provides a perfect pallet cleanser.

Locally made Burrata + Grapes + Baby Cucumbers + Herb Oil
Best enjoyed with: Here Comes Santa Claus – Elvis Presley
When eating the king of the appetisers, it’s best to listen to the King of rock n’ roll. Elvis’ smooth vocals pair perfectly with the creamy cheese.

Roasted Turkey Roll + Sour Cherry + Almond + Jus
Best enjoyed with: It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas – Bing Crosby
A classic track for a classic dish. The melodious sounds of Bing Crosby’s crooning allow you to slow down and savour the taste of one of the heroes of the Christmas meal. The sour cherry flavours are brought out with the lower range tones in the song.

Honey Mustard Leg Ham
Best enjoyed with: The Christmas Song – Nat King Cole
The smooth sounds of Nat King Cole’s voice bring out the meal’s rich flavours. The lower range notes have been scientifically proven to bring out the salty flavour of the ham.

Duck Fat Potatoes + Rosemary + Sea Salt
Best enjoyed with: Home For The Holidays – Grant Landis
Home style food pairs perfectly with a song about being home. The faster tempo of the beat matches your eagerness to devour as many potatoes as possible and brings out the salty flavour of the duck fat.

Roasted Butternut Pumpkin + Spiced Labneh + Pomegranate + Mint
Best enjoyed with: Cozy Little Christmas – Katy Perry
This colourful stand out wouldn’t be complete without the colourful performance of Katy Perry. The perfect pop song to make this dish pop.

Green Pea + Pecorino + Mint + Dill + Chilli
Best enjoyed with: Winter Wonderland – Jason Mraz
A song about the cold to go with the chill of mint. The higher pitch of the song and faster tempo brings out the spice of the chilli.

QT Gowings Cheesecake
Best enjoyed with: Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt
The sultry sounds of Eartha Kitt tickle the taste buds. The equally decadent sounds of the song pair nicely with the rich intensity of our signature dessert.

Sonoma Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard
Best enjoyed with: We Wish You a Merry Christmas – The Vamps
This song is the auditory stimulation you need while enjoying rich, fruity mouthfuls of Christmas pudding. The perfect festive tune, for the quintessential Christmas dessert.

Pavlova + Vanilla Cream + Blueberry + Mango + Almonds
Best enjoyed with: I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Michael Buble
The mellow sounds of Buble’s crooning compliment the soft, spongy texture of the pavlova and pair perfectly with the sweet accompaniments of mango and blueberry.

Spiced Fruit Mince Pies + Fresh Cherries
Best enjoyed with: Here We Come A-Caroling – Pomplamoose
Studies have shown the plucked strings and sounds of bells evoke the sweet and spicy flavours of spiced fruit mince pies. Listen on a lower volume to really bring out the taste of the sweetness.

The wind down:

Crack open your food coma recovery guide, loosen your belt and relax to the sounds of Christmas.