SENSORY QUALITY EVALUATION OF GRILLED CHICKEN PRODUCTS AT KAMPUNG COKLAT RESTAURANT BLITAR

Abstract

Grilled chicken is one of Indonesia's signature dishes that has become an integral part of the archipelago's culinary culture. This study aims to determine the level of consumer preference for grilled chicken at Kampung Coklat Restaurant Blitar based on color, aroma, texture, and taste, as well as to identify the sensory characteristics most preferred by consumers. This research employed descriptive quantitative methods with hedonic and descriptive sensory tests involving 25 consumer panelists. The hedonic test used a 1-5 Likert scale to measure preference levels, while the descriptive test identified specific sensory attributes. Results showed that taste received the highest score (4.52), followed by aroma (4.28), color (4.16), and texture (4.04), with an overall score of 4.44, categorized as highly preferred. The descriptive test revealed that consumers preferred moderate and balanced sweet taste (60%), strong smoky aroma (56%), very tender and juicy texture (64%), and evenly distributed golden-brown color (52%). This study concludes that the sensory quality of grilled chicken at Kampung Coklat Restaurant Blitar is excellent, particularly in taste, which serves as the main strength, supported by appealing aroma, color, and texture.