Introduction

Gastronomy is the term that can be seen more as a construct than a concept. The term is not very critical to define but it has been heavily burdened over time. The term gastronomy is of Greek origin and comprises of the words gastḗr- and –nómos; where -gastḗr means stomach and -nómos means knowledge. Thus, gastronomy can be simply defined as the knowledge about food and eating. In olden days, gastronomy was limited to the classic and haute cuisine of the society with more focus on the expensive, lavish meals that demanded equally expensive silver and china accoutrements. However with the passage of time, gastronomy expanded to include the ‘peasant food’ and encompassed the local cultural tastes within (Hjalager & Richards, 2002). The contemporary definition of gastronomy provided by the Encyclopedia Britannica 2000 defines it as ‘the art of selecting, preparing, serving, and enjoying fine food’ (Broderbund, 2000). Another definition represents it as the combination of arts and science stating that gastronomy is ‘the art and science of fine eating with an emphasis on gourmet foods and dinning experiences’ (Solomon, 2003). Nonetheless, in the modern times gastronomy encompasses the entire command over the knowledge of the arts and science behind good food and eating which includes food history, cultural food, molecular gastronomy, nutritional gastronomy, culinary innovation and tourism. Thus and thus, gastronomy has grown from merely the beautification of the ritual of food consumption to the in-depth understanding of the various cooking techniques, food production methods and their impact on human health.

This report is based on the scrutiny of the concept of gastronomy, its development over time and its critical underpinnings including food history, cultural food, culinary innovation and tourism. An illustration of the ideas has been made using mind mapping technique to investigate the interrelation among the different concepts related to gastronomy.

 

 

Discussion

The discussion is structured upon the mind map where each sub-category related to gastronomy has been illustrated in detail.

Food History

Gastronomy encompasses the knowledge about the history of food and takes into account various factors that makes the food culture look like what it is today. Those factors broadly include geographical factors, art of cooking and the food revolution.

Geographical Influences

When exploring the characteristics of different ingredients, our attention is immediately drawn towards the place to which it belongs and it also reflects the culture of the geographic area in terms of the cuisine along with its techniques and ingredients (Sosa Ingredients S.L., 2008). The foods that now constitute the identity of a place always have a history related to the convenience and resources available to the people of that area.

Available food resources

The food resources available to the people i.e. indigenous plants and animals determine how their eating habits are shaped up. For instance, the famous Full English breakfast i.e. egg and bacon includes pork meat because in olden days the farmers raised chicken and pigs and used their eggs and meat as their staple food.

Available equipments

The cooking techniques used by people and the equipments reflect a history of what would have been available to the people for cooking purpose including steel, clay or wood (Kiple, 2000). For instance, the Arabs marinate huge mutton pieces and bury them deep in the sand to cook them. This reflects the influence of geographical factors on their cooking techniques.

Art of Cooking

Open Fire

Back in the stone age, humans used to eat raw food. Later the initial concept of cooking was on open fire.

Boiling

It was then extended to boiling where food was added in boiling water to be cooked.

Steaming and Baking

The upcoming techniques included baking in coals or under heated rocks; and steaming inside animal stomach and leaves (Toussaint-Samat, 2009).

Food Revolution

Agriculture and Civilization

Since human beings started to settle in colonies, they began to cultivate crops and animals for food. The transition from being nomads to settlers was greatly influenced by the climate changes causing the shortage of food, increasing population and innovation in harvesting technologies. This made agriculture and life stalk as a viable lifestyle (Toussaint-Samat, 2009).

Industrialization of food industry

With the advancement in technology, the food systems across the world were industrialized. These food systems are characterized by specialization, mechanization, routinization, standardization and consolidation which ultimately transformed the entire food supply chain (Sosa Ingredients S.L., 2008).

Food Culture

Culture refers to the beliefs and social customs of a group of people (Almerico, 2014). Gastronomy and culture of every region are part and parcel to each other; therefore, the food people eat reflects their culture. The critical features of a culture show a substantial influence on the gastronomy of that particular region and the eating habits of the people belonging to that group. These salient features include religion, ethnic influences, and social influences (Solomon, 2003).

Religion

The eating practices of the people are strictly guided by the religious laws in every religion of the world. These laws apply to the aspects of food creation and production, food consumption, and food distribution (Giorda, Bossi & Messina, 2014).

 

 

Food Creation/Production

Food creation and production refers to every step preceding consumption. In many religions eating is considered to be a way connecting and building relationship with God. Particular laws are found in the religion that guide how the food (plants and animals) should be raised and slaughtered so that it may become licit for consumption. For instance, Muslims must invoke the animal in the name of Allah before they can consume it. If not slaughtered in the prescribed manner, the meat would remain illicit even if it is of an allowed animal.

Food Consumption

Food consumption in terms of licit and illicit items, timings for abstention and fasting, and the recommendation of consumption of specific food at particular times are also guided by the religious laws. Let’s take the example for each case from Hinduism.

• Cow is a sacred animal for Hindus so they are not allowed to slaughter or eat its meat
• the women are directed to fast on various festivals
• the leaves of basil (Tulsi) are considered sacred therefore used in most of their recipes

Food Distribution

Food distribution refers to the complex system regulating the food industry, branding and marketing. For instance, meat is the most strictly regulated food in Islam whereby it is important to market the food as halal in non-Muslim communities.

Ethnic Influences

Ethnic groups include people who share common blood ties, land ties, racial ties or religion similarities; therefore they also share food traditions. Studies show that people are found to hold pride in consuming their ethnic foods (Camarena & Sanjuan, 2009). The ethnic factors that contribute towards gastronomy are ethnic foods, ethnic ingredients and food norms.

Ethnic Ingredients

Ethnic ingredients particular to a region are usually found in abundance in that region and are a part of all the dishes made by the people belonging to that ethnic group. For instance, Middle Eastern dishes include ingredients like saffron, cumin seeds and ginger in abundance.

Food Norms

Food norms are usually typical eating patterns shared by the people of a common ethnic group and also constitute their eating behaviors. Some ethnic groups have specialized ways of selecting and buying food, cooking and serving techniques, eating manners and storing rituals. For instance, in Italy people prefer buying the freshest ingredients every day. Also, in India special ovens are used for cooking bread and meat called tandoor.

Bonding between People

Ethnic dishes and eating traditions promote brotherhood and bonding among the people belonging to common groups. They serve special dishes that are typical to their festivals and reflect their identity. For example, people in the United States and Canada eat Turkey for dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Social Influence

Social factors also influence gastronomy in terms of the type of food preferred, cooking methods and table manners. These social factors include the social groups, values and media.

Social Groups

Social groups like family and friends have a significant role in making up the gastronomic personality of an individual. Children’s eating habits develop under the influence of their family members and also the lifestyle of the parents determines the food their children eat. For example, working women would train their children to eat easy-to-cook or readymade foods with little requirements for utensils and equipments.

Values

Values also make a difference in eating style of people. One’s values determine what things are important to him or her. In gastronomy, values may indicate the activities like cooking special meals on Sundays and meeting with all family members at the dinner table every day (Almerico, 2014).

 

Media

Media has considerably influenced gastronomy by how food is showcased in different programs and advertisements. Print and electronic media bring awareness to people regarding different recipes, alterations in cooking methods, provoke them for using advance cooking tools and introduce to foods from other cultures through different programs. It also influences the eating habits of people through advertising different brands, products, ready-to-eat items, fast foods, etc. (Solomon, 2003).

Culinary Innovation

Culinary innovation refers to the breakthrough advancement in the field of gastronomy where food has been invented rather than innovated. The three most prominent sub-fields in culinary innovation include molecular gastronomy, nutritional gastronomy and digital gastronomy.

Molecular Gastronomy

When food is cooked, it not only changes physically but also chemically. The study of such changes is called molecular gastronomy where the chefs explore culinary possibilities by using combinations of tools from science labs and ingredients from the kitchen.

 

Molecular Transformation

The chemical composition of the ingredients is changed when they are cooked. Different cooking techniques have different specific impact on the molecular composition of ingredients and this transformation determines the sensory, nutritional, toxic and other effects of food on human body (This, Molecular gastronomy, a scientific look at cooking, 2009)

Dish preparation

Molecular gastronomy helps in understanding the chemistry behind dish preparation. It involves the knowledge of the impact of washing, cutting and also thermal processing on food. Even the process of cutting may activate the enzymatic reactions and reactions take place between the plant tissues and dressing of a carrot salad.

Note by Note Cuisine!

In 1994, a food chef experimented with food compounds like paraethylphenol in wines and whiskeys, 1-octen-3-ol in dishes, limonene, tartaric acid, ascorbic acid, etc. with an intention of improving food. Later, he turned up with the idea of creating dishes from the compounds (This, Molecular gastronomy is a scientific discipline, and note by note cuisine is the next culinary trend, 2013). This gave birth to the concept of Note by Note Cuisine.

Nutritional Gastronomy

Nutritional gastronomy is the field of study that has expanded due to alteration in diets, non-bulk approaches to eating and an increasing dislike towards fast foods in all countries. It basically promotes healthy eating.

Nutritional Composition of Food

The culinary innovation is found to have impact on the nutritional composition of the food. Nutritional gastronomy enables to assess the nutritional composition of the new dishes on the menu and their impact on the overall diet of a person (Solomon, 2003).

 

 

Health Benefits

The health benefits of the ingredients and their combination are now also investigated to find the impact of groundbreaking combinations of ingredients and to engineer newer innovative dishes with improved health benefits.

Energy Requirement

Supply of energy is the ultimate reason for gastronomy. The nutritional gastronomy balances the taste, nutrition and energy needs of the individuals (Myhrvold, 2015).

Digital Gastronomy

The highly futuristic approach towards food based on digital technologies is called digital gastronomy where kitchen tools have been innovated using science fiction and actual technology to create wonderful design space for gastronomy (Zoran & Coelho, 2011).

Concept Design

The ideas about the possibilities of synchronizing food and technology provided scientists with an emerging design space where concept designs can be proposed in the field of digital gastronomy.

Science Fiction & Technology

It seems too improbable to wish to engage robots in the making of food without human supervisory. But now, technology has been applied to science fiction concepts and digital data is being used to develop new recipes.

Cornucopia – Food Printer

A food printer concept has been designed by the MIT professionals. This three dimensional printer makes food by storing, mixing, depositing and cooking layers of food ingredients (van Mensvoort, 2010).

Tourism

Tourism is often regarded as the by-product of gastronomy. Gastronomic tourism in particular is the travel undertaken solely for the purpose of tasting the typical foods of different regions.

 

Food Experience

Pleasure

Gastronomy in tourism is found to enhance the pleasure and enjoyment of eating and drinking the foods from another culture, such pleasure is central to tourism where the tourists enjoys the sense of participating in other cultures of the world.

Hospitality

The hospitality industry naturally plays a part in the provision of food experiences of the tourists but they can also enhance this experience through providing the tourists with the background knowledge of the food and its history (Santich, 2004).

Symbolism

Studies show that tourists seek symbolic meaning of the food to remember their food experiences and also to revisit a place. Thus, the tourism marketers and culinary suppliers can promote local traditions and customs to promote the attraction of a place (Mak,  Lumbers & Eves, 2012).

Economic development

Gastronomic tourism is proved to bring economic development to the regions which provide food as a major force of attraction for the people.

Foreign Currency

It brings foreign currency into the country.

Industrial Growth

Tourists’ products based on historical and contemporary resources present strategic advantage to a region and promote economic growth. This ultimately brings numerous new opportunities for the tourism industry and regional and national governments (Santich, 2004).

Strengthening of Local Economy

It helps build and strengthen the local economy by helping the local producers of typical regional culture-based items to reach world-wide and promote their business.

Food Globalization

The world has shrunk into a global village where the culture has merged and lye very close to each other. The different aspects of different cultures seem to diffuse into each other.

Threat to Local Gastronomic Identities

The homogenizing force of globalization is thus commonly seen as a threat to the close connection between food and place. Therefore, it is seen to have a substantial impact on gastronomic identity of a place (Hjalager & Richards, 2002).

International Fast Food Chains

The growing international food chains have also faded the line of demarcation between the local and global foods. These chains have been favored by the non-geographical global village’s consumer zone, which also stimulated the globalization of pseudo-national cuisines.

 

 

Conclusion

Since the early civilization, gastronomy has grown from merely the beautification of the ritual of food consumption to the in-depth understanding of the various cooking techniques, food production methods and their impact on human health. More specifically, in the modern times gastronomy encompasses the entire command over the knowledge of the arts and science behind good food and eating which includes food history, cultural food, culinary innovation and tourism. Each of these sub-categories help to better understand the current holistic approach towards gastronomy and the application of the studies of chemistry, physics, economics, psychology and business over it.