Editor’s note: Sensory evaluation is a specialized field in food science and takes a great deal of organization and coordination, statistical evaluations, and reporting to significant business stakeholders, like project or brand management. Sensory Scientist Anna Chow. I met Anna at the Rutger’s University Introduction to Sensory Science short course. 

Excited for the readers to get a glimpse of another scientist’s life!

Got questions for Anna? Submit them on the contact page

An introduction to POM’s Sensory Scientist, Anna Chow

I’m Peas On Moss’s resident Sensory Scientist. I, like most people on this blog, love food. Food was one of my first loves. My relationship with food first began when I was young. My parents owned a Chinese-American Restaurant in small town America. Between helping my father taste test his dishes, prepping ingredients, and waitressing the front of house, I slowly discovered my passion for food.

It’s not surprising that after my undergrad years at the University of Tennessee I ended up in the food industry. After interning at Butterball, LLC in North Carolina, my first “big girl” job after college was with Bush Brothers and Company as a sensory technician in Knoxville, Tennessee. That experience eventually brought me up to the beautiful Pacific Northwest as a Sensory Specialist for Tree Top Inc. When I’m not at work, I spend my free time cooking, eating, traveling, reading, enjoying the outdoors, and practicing yoga.

My cooking focus usually involves healthy, wholesome, and local ingredients (However, I occasionally indulge in a juicy burger or soul food-let’s be honest we all need balance). What I love just as much, if not even more than cooking, is eating. When I talk about eating I don’t mean eating to survive. I mean it as the experience that results in a combination of creative flavors and preparation. It’s also one of my top 2 focuses when I travel. One cannot fully experience another culture without understanding their cuisine. After long days, I usually spend my time with a good book. I especially love fiction and non-fiction about science or food.

When I’m not cooking, reading, or traveling, I like to be outdoors enjoying nature or doing yoga. The Pacific Northwest offers plenty of magnificent natural wonders just waiting for me to explore. Whether it is camping in old growth forests, hiking in Mount Rainier, or kayaking the puget sound, this area of the United States never ceases to amaze me. If I can’t get moving outside, I like to practice yoga for strength and relaxation.