[Several of the projects described in this story from Forbes incorporate vivid presence experiences into dining in creative ways (the first one and the last one, Kitchen Memories, sound particularly intriguing). But as one expert is quoted as saying, “No one has really cracked the code on how to apply VR in the world of food… this is only the rotary phone of what’s to come.” See the original version of the story for four more images and follow the links for more information. –Matthew]

[Image: Diners await their first bite-size course during Epic.Now at New York’s Michelin-starred Icca. Credit: EPIC.NOW]

How Virtual Reality Is Adding A New Dimension To Dining

By Kristin Tablang, Contributor – “I write about food and drink in NYC—and beyond.”
February 28, 2025

Sleek headsets line the omakase bar at New York’s Icca—host of Epic.Now, a new virtual reality experience cofounded by VR hospitality expert Elizabeth Petrova and former entertainment director Nikolai Popov.

The limited offering, which opened three weeks ago, takes clients on a unique food journey with the help of Meta’s newest mixed-reality VR technology. Guests savor Michelin-starred morsels prepared by acclaimed sushi chef Kazushige Suzuki while donning the high-tech hardware, which unlocks access to a series of 3D realms celebrating Japan. “Everything you see through the glasses, we built from zero,” Popov says.

Equipped with custom Bobovr straps to optimize fit, the advanced gear can detect users’ hands and the company’s proprietary “plate,” allowing them to continually track the 3D-printed dish while navigating the virtual universe. At the start of every course, participants are instructed to lift the device with both hands and tilt it forward, gingerly sliding each mystery bite into their mouths. The special menu was carefully tailored to complement each chapter of the 20-minute VR reel, featuring backdrops set in a jungle, under the sea, in outer space, and beyond.

“What makes it so beautiful is that your experience will be entirely different from anyone else’s,” Petrova enthuses. While one person might focus on the music, another may fixate on the characters’ style or demeanor, she explains. “We encourage you to really use your space—to look up, look down—because that’s what VR is for.”

To bring their vision to life, the company’s cofounders partnered with an Osaka-based musical composer, a local perfumery, and several 3D artists who painstakingly drew each 360-degree scene by hand. They also worked closely with the Japan Society to ensure every shot depicted an accurate and respectful representation of the country’s land and people. “We wanted to make sure that we did it justice,” Petrova asserts, emphasizing their desire to integrate a strong cultural aspect into every Epic.Now production.

The hour-long experience—coming to Tokyo this spring—has been well received by curious gastronomes and tech enthusiasts alike craving the next big thing. “The VR journey created a mentally stimulating environment where I could explore my tastebuds,” says self-proclaimed foodie and video creator Dasom Lee, who often posts her epicurean adventures on Instagram and TikTok. “It offered a newfound way of dining that was thought-provoking and surprisingly pleasant.”

But the concept isn’t entirely new. At Tree by Naked Yoyogi Park, a multi-sensory dining experience in Tokyo designed by Japanese visual artist Ryotaro Muramatsu, guests put on VR headsets for part of the meal, transporting themselves into a comical world where animals eat and dress like humans. Enhanced with lights, sounds, scents, and smoke, the whimsical show has attracted a steady crowd since opening in 2017.

Then there’s Aerobanquets RMX, an immersive showcase by Italian multimedia artist Mattia Casalegno designed to engage all five senses. Eight years ago, the creative pioneer began tinkering with motion-capture cameras in hopes of finding a way to integrate taste and flavor into his works. “I saw VR as a way to extend the capability of what we can see, hear, feel and taste in real life,” he notes. “It’s very visceral and allows you to tell stories that couldn’t be told otherwise.”

A year later, Casalegno introduced the rough concept to Roni Mazumdar, CEO of Unapologetic Foods. The restaurateur—whose portfolio counts some of New York’s most celebrated Indian restaurants, including Adda, Dhamaka, and Semma—was skeptical at first. “I thought, ‘God, this is going to be an abomination,’” he admits. “But then I was blown away.”

Together, the pair began experimenting on how to refine Aerobanquets, tapping Mazumdar’s longtime chef-partner, Chintan Pandya, to create the accompanying menu. “We were just having fun,” Mazumdar laughs, recalling how they initially set up shop in the private room of one of his old restaurants, now home to Semma.

The following year, they pitched Aerobanquets RMX to Mitchell Davis, then an executive at the James Beard Foundation. “I thought, ‘Wow—what a crazy, wonderful idea,’” Davis recalls. Soon after, he invited them to move the makeshift project into the James Beard House, just a few blocks away. It ran there for over three months—much longer than any of them anticipated.

Their success can be partly attributed to the rising demand for VR technology, whose global market size was valued at $16.32 billion in 2024—a figure projected to reach $123 billion by 2032, per Fortune Business Insights. The uptick is apparent in almost every industry, from retail and beauty to travel and entertainment. But the high cost of implementation has led to slower adoption rates in the dining space, limiting growth to high-end restaurants and companies that can afford it.

“No one has really cracked the code on how to apply VR in the world of food,” admits Mazumdar, who believes it will take a few more years to realize the technology’s full potential in the food space. “But this is only the rotary phone of what’s to come.”

Following Aerobanquets’ triumphant run, Mazumdar, Pandya, Casalegno and Davis joined forces to form Flavor Five Studio, a creative tech company dedicated to producing immersive gastronomy experiences. “All of us saw the potential to combine art, food, and sensory exploration—and really, just pure joy and entertainment,” says Davis.

Since then, the group has showcased Aerobanquets at Art Basel in Miami and collaborated on crafting similar experiences with major brands and institutions, including Mastercard. Now in preproduction, the studio’s latest initiative—unveiled at the 2024 Venice Biennale—will feature a virtual restaurant “that can cook any dish that’s ever been created,” Casalegno says, including nostalgic plates derived from customers’ own recollections. Called Kitchen Memories, “it’s an exploration of cultural identity and how it ties into memory,” he reveals—one that will give customers the chance to personalize their meals in a unique and meaningful way.

Epic.Now’s cofounders also plan to incorporate more playful elements into their next project. Set to focus on dessert, the forthcoming experience will be gamified “similar to Candy Crush,” Petrova divulges, in hopes of motivating future users to interact more with their virtual surroundings. “We always want to make sure we keep customers interested.”