The Curious Gastronaut is a game about exploring the world of food through play. Following prompts, players use their imagination to gather ingredients, combine them to invent bite-size edible experiments and explore them using all their senses. The goal is to discover new flavours, textures and combinations. One can choose to play with real food or imaginatively and choose from different modes of play. By bringing play to the table, the designer wants to inspire children and adults alike to be curious and excited about the edible world, and continue exploring beyond the game.

Nalisha Chouraria is a multidisciplinary designer and illustrator who specialises in play & design for children. She creates unorthodox tools to stimulate and empower children, and encourage them to step out of their comfort zone through play. Her work includes illustration, play design, graphic design, event design, and digital & physical toys and games. She brings the child's perspective into her designs through research, playtests, observation, interviews & workshops. As well as working with a suite of award-winning studios, Nalisha has had utterly unique life experiences, including being a Bollywood child actor and marrying a tree. During her early education, all her designs were termed as ‘cute’. This led her to question the very attribute and break out of it through experimentation with the unconventional. Studio Oddball is her playground.

Nalisha Chouraria is a multidisciplinary designer and illustrator who specialises in play & design for children. She creates unorthodox tools to stimulate and empower children, and encourage them to step out of their comfort zone through play. Her work includes illustration, play design, graphic design, and digital and physical toys & games. Studio Oddball is her playground.