SOLVED. Adult Science Fiction. Society of chefs who use a range of (sacred?) artificial flavorings to create artful meals. Around 1960-1980. [s]

[Gary]

Science fiction novel about a society of chefs who use a range of (sacred?) artificial flavorings to create artful meals. One boy decides secretly to cook using real herbs and spices, and he wins a competition, becomes famous but then is then accused of blasphemy - something like that...

can't remember what I wrote, the forum wiped this comment clean when I tried to post it

(oh written mid-century I think 1960-1980?)

planet unspecified
not technological (no space ships, or advanced technology) except maybe for artificial food production
feudal / hierarchical society?

[Bargle]

I think this might be Isaac Asimov's "Good Taste". Link to the Wiki page for it.
ETA: link to the story online.
https://sites.google.com/site/asimovg...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Taste

Note to self: correct answer.

[Gary]

Thank you, that's the one. Whodathought it was Asimov, after all!? I thought it was a full-length novel, strange how one misremembers details like that...

:)

[Kris]

Glad you found your book, Gary. Here's the Goodreads link for Bargle's find - Good Taste by Isaac Asimov.

[Bargle]

Story is contained in the collection The Winds of Change and Other Stories.