Why Does Halloween Chocolate Taste So Good?

An evening talk by Jordan LeBel, Concordia marketing professor, on why Halloween chocolate tastes so good Event description Why does a piece of chocolate feel different on Halloween than it does on an ordinary Tuesday? The ingredients may be the same, but expectation, packaging, atmosphere, memory, and the story we attach to food can all change what we think we are tasting. In this Lectures After Dark talk, Jordan LeBel explores the surprisingly psychological world of taste. From menu language and price to branding, ritual, and sensory cues, he will unpack why flavour is never just about the tongue. A live chocolate tasting will bring those ideas into the room, turning a familiar Halloween treat into a small experiment in perception. Come prepared to question your own palate. You will leave with a sharper sense of how easily our surroundings shape what we enjoy, what we remember, and what we are willing to pay for. What the audience will walk away with • A practical way to notice how expectation, setting, and memory influence everyday taste. • A clearer understanding of how packaging, price, and menu language can influence your choices and eating behaviour. • New questions to bring to food marketing, holiday rituals, and the stories brands tell about taste. • A more playful appreciation for why a chocolate tasting can reveal more than personal preference. About the speaker Jordan LeBel studies food marketing, sensory design, and consumer experience, with a focus on the forces that shape how people experience what they eat and drink. An experienced public presenter, he brings a curious, accessible lens to the everyday psychology of taste and eating choices.