In the latest episode of We Are ETH, host Susan Kish speaks with ETH alumni Sue Tobler (Physics) and Remo Gisi (Computer Science), the creative forces behind Tastelab. The Tastelab is a Zurich-based culinary studio where data, algorithms, and physics come together to reinvent plant-based gastronomy. What began as a curiosity-driven experiment has grown into a pioneering business that blends scientific precision with sensory storytelling.

“At ETH, we learned to think in systems,” says Sue. “Now, instead of equations and particles, we work with flavours, textures, and emotions but the mindset is the same. It’s still about understanding how things interact and how small changes can create something completely new.”

At Tastelab, Sue and Remo treat cooking as both an art and an experiment. They use data analysis, sensory testing, and physical modelling to perfect each dish. For them, food is a medium where algorithms can guide intuition and physics shapes taste. “A recipe,” Remo explains, “is really just an algorithm, a process that solves the problem of flavour.” Their approach to algorithmic cooking and heat-transfer-informed design turns each plate into a data-driven yet deeply human creation, proving that precision and play can beautifully coexist.

Sustainability lies at the heart of their work, but not in the way it’s often portrayed. Since 2020, Tastelab has gone fully plant-based, a decision born not from restriction but from curiosity. “We don’t want to preach sustainability,” Sue notes. “We want people to fall in love with it — to taste how good the future can be.” Their philosophy is simple: lead by inspiration, not obligation. Whether they’re crafting a plant-based foie gras or developing new techniques to mimic the texture of fish, their dishes highlight what’s possible when creativity and conscience meet science.

Their years at ETH Zurich gave them not only the technical foundation but also the courage to experiment and build something new. Sue recalls her student days as formative:

“Organizing student events taught us to improvise, to lead, and to learn fast. It’s the same now — running Tastelab is one long, fascinating experiment.” Remo adds, “ETH taught us to never stop iterating. Whether it’s code or cuisine, it’s about testing, failing, and improving repeatedly.”

For both, moving from corporate jobs to entrepreneurship wasn’t a leap of risk but a natural continuation of curiosity. “At some point,” Remo shares, “you realize that waiting for the perfect idea is pointless. You start with what you have, experiment, and learn your way forward.”

Their advice to young innovators is clear: follow your curiosity, even when it takes you off the beaten path. “If something excites you,” Sue says, “there will be a way to make it work and if there isn’t, create one.”

From pop-up gastronomy to bespoke dining experiences, Tastelab is redefining the future of food, one data-driven dish at a time. With every experiment, Sue and Remo invite people to taste science, experience sustainability, and rediscover joy through flavour.

Listen to the full episode of We Are ETH to hear how Sue Tobler and Remo Gisi are turning algorithms into aromas and curiosity into cuisine.

by Grace M. Crain, doctoral researcher, 22 April 2021

“I came to understand that creating resilient food systems is deeply connected to personal relationships; an understanding that applies to humans that occupy this planet, and others we may visit in the future.”

I went into the course on “Creating Resilient Food Systems: A Circular Approach” from the World Food Systems Center (WFSC) with the intention and drive to learn about circular food systems on Earth, since my work is a bit more outside of this world. I work on bioregenerative life supports systems for future space missions. Specifically, I look at how waste can be transformed to provide nutrients for plant production on Martian or Lunar bases. Though the research I contribute to applies to space, the principles have a direct relation to creating and implementing circularity in a terrestrial context. Basically, I am intrigued by the connections that may come up when applying elements of agroecology to bioregenerative life support systems.

Throughout the three-day course, we heard from agroecologists, data scientists, and political scientists. Additionally, we worked in groups with even more occupational diversity. The group I was in consisted of an artist and urban ecologist, agricultural data scientist, agronomist, a plant scientist and seed collector, and me, an aspiring astrobiologist. In our assigned groups we were encouraged to apply the elements of agroecology, system dynamics, and political ecology/economy to create a more resilient food value chains. Specifically, our group focused on how to integrate the principles of solidarity economy on tomato exports. Basically, how can we shift the focus away from financial profits and more towards social profitability.

At first this was a daunting task, especially for someone so new to the concepts and principles of agroecology. But I remembered this was a learning exercise and way to capture an understanding of these principles and how they can be applied. As a group, we quickly realised that we could approach this from an interdisciplinary perspective, which was what the course ultimately taught me. That to create resilient systems, we must look from multiple perspectives and find the connections between them. We must think in systems. Systems do not follow one principle, path or logic. Systems are a conglomeration of different aspects, that all must be explored. For instance, the farmers tending to the tomatoes have just as much a say as the consumers. To create a resilient system, all sides of the story must be heard and implemented.

We found that, to address our assigned task, our group was missing key perspectives in order to establish a realistic approach. Basically, we had no way of speaking to farmers and incorporating their side of the story. Nonetheless, we were able to approach the assignment from multiple perspectives based on our various backgrounds. We combined our personal experiences with the relationships we as consumers would like to have with farmers and producers to increase solidarity amongst all parties. That is how our group came up with the idea of creating a platform that would connect consumers to tomato farmers through storytelling and shared experiences.

By creating and building personal relationship with the farmers, we believed solidarity and understanding would increase across the entire value chain. With this same principle in mind, I realized how our group connected on a personal level, which allowed us to create an environment of mutual respect and understanding that enabled us to tackle the task at hand. We were able to involve one another and support the evolution of our ideas to create something that we were all proud of and had contributed to. For me, this was the biggest take-away from the three-day course:
I realised that interdisciplinary approaches involving multiple perspectives, looking at entire systems, and listening to all sides of the story are the key to creating circular resilient food systems.

Beyond the example of tomato production, if you consider the context of a bioregenerative life support system, these concepts can also be directly applied. If we don’t pay attention to the entire system and consider multiple perspectives in addressing issues or simply creating the basis on which a system is built, we will fail. For instance, if not enough nutrients are provided to the plant, there will be no food or oxygen production for the astronauts; bioregenerative systems rely completely on the functioning and production of plants. Paying attention to the entire system and looking at all sides of the story is what drives the creation and implementation of resilient, sustainable, and successful food systems for both Earth and Space.

About the author

Grace M. Crain is an aspiring astrobiologist and plant nutrition scientist. She is a doctoral researcher in the Group of Plant Nutrition at ETH Zurich. Grace’s research focuses on determining the suitability of using human excreta for hydroponic crop production for future long-term space missions. Her work contributes to the MELiSSA Project of the European Space Agency. When Grace is not dreaming about space, she is probably out exploring the nearby forest, painting, or playing her ukulele.
Grace Crain (she/her) | LinkedIn

by Shirley Mambadzo, student at Stellenbosch University in South Africa
& ETH Ambassador, 15 April 2021

Online platform

I was awarded a full scholarship to participate in the short course organised by the World Food Systems Centre (WFSC) – Designing for Food Systems Resilience: A Circular Approach, which was held on 10-12 February 2021. It was the first time I had enrolled for an asynchronous international online course and I was nervous. I wondered whether I could contribute in a significant way and whether my internet connection would be stable enough. My anxiety grew more intense because we had to use Miro – an application I hadn’t used before. But when the course started, I realised that I wasn’t the only one new to it, and that gave me confidence. Toya Bezzola, Interim Education Manager at WFSC, helped us navigate the Miro board, and it proved a very useful tool for brainstorming and putting together our group presentation. Michelle Grant, Education Director at WFSC and course facilitator, did an amazing job at facilitating the programme and making sure that everyone was accommodated, ensuring a smooth transition between activities and time-keeping. Speaking of time management, I didn’t know that the Swiss were renowned for being punctual! Fortunately, I don’t have a problem with punctuality and was able to keep to the schedule. The way the breakout sessions and activities were structured allowed me to interact with different participants and to share my story and insights.

Group work

We were a diverse group of international participants from a range of disciplines. Although most of those in my group were PhD students or graduates, they took my input for the group project seriously. We had different perspectives, perhaps due to our personal biases, but nonetheless together redesigned a hypothetical Moroccan tomato value chain by integrating the principles of a solidarity economy. Some ideas, especially those on a central governance system made me uncomfortable because of my personal experience and views. To me, this implies that people aren’t capable of governing themselves. After some discussion, I realised that it stems from the trust that the other participants had in their governance systems – which are transparent and mostly well-run.

Course content

I’m really grateful for the knowledge and skills I’ve gained. My biggest takeaway from the course is systems and design thinking methods. As our case study was on the tomato value chain in Morocco, which is also in the global south, there were many similarities with my experience as a part-time farmer/agribusiness entrepreneur and the water scarcity challenges in parts of Namibia, especially the capital city Windhoek, where I work for the local authority. The local authority owns land on the outskirts of Windhoek that is currently underutilised for food production. I intend to use the insights gained through this course to analyse the existing urban food system. However, designing a resilient food system in urban areas using a circular approach is challenging as there’s not enough data on urban food security and the flow of food into and out of the city. Without this critical information, how can we design a resilient food system in the city? This is something I’ll cover in my Master’s thesis and use to improve my current community engagement projects on urban gardening. For some time now, I’ve been testing circularity for my agribusiness: I grow barley fodder in the hydroponics system that we designed, to feed chicken, and then feed the chicken droppings to fish in the aquaponics system, and also plant leafy greens in the aquaponics system. We continuously test and improve, and this is a key element of the reflection stage of the design thinking process as explained by Michelle Grant. I’m looking forward to using the tools in a real-life situation and to seeing what will happen.

About the author

Shirley Mambadzo works at the City of Windhoek, the local authority of Windhoek, Namibia. She is a part-time agribusiness entrepreneur and student at the Sustainability Institute of Stellenbosch University in South Africa, studying for a postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Development.