@Rel_ yes and no, for one thing, the real "tasting" does your nose, that's why you sometimes don't taste much with a cold and plugged nose, your tongue can only differentiate between sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami, hot and cold (the spicy hot is by the way a kind of illusion to your tongue, the particles activate the temperature nerve buds and make them cry "way too hot", that's why spicy food makes you feel warm) and it can feel the texture - so yeah, without it, a great part for enjoying your food would be lost, plus the whole act of eating and drinking would be more difficult, but maybe he has still a little bit of it