Food is the most fundamental product we consume, yet most people don’t appreciate the amount of research, design, and engineering that goes into many of the items at their local supermarket or favorite restaurant. Although design's role in other consumer goods, especially electronics, is widely acknowledged, the contribution of product design to food and culinary items is often overlooked. Designers have, in fact, come up with countless innovations to command shelf space and redefine established categories in the hotly contested culinary marketplace.