What is gastronomy?
Gastronomy is the study of food in the broad sense: its history, culture, science, production and the experience at the table. It does not simply mean "good food". Where a dish comes from, how an ingredient is produced, why it is cooked a certain way and how it is served are all part of gastronomy.
The word combines the Greek *gaster* (stomach) and *nomos* (law or rule), roughly "the rules of the stomach".
What is a gastronome?
A gastronome is someone with deep knowledge of food and drink culture. A gastronome does not have to cook: a food writer, researcher or critic can be one.
Gastronomy vs culinary arts, cooking and gourmet
| Term | What it covers | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Gastronomy | The culture, history, science and experience of food | Field of knowledge |
| Culinary arts | Professional cooking technique and kitchen practice | Skill |
| Cooking | The trade of preparing food | Profession |
| Gastronome | A person knowledgeable in the field | Person, expertise |
| Gourmet | A person who enjoys and can judge fine food and drink | Person, palate |
A short history of gastronomy
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 4th century BCE | Archestratus of Gela's lost poem *Gastronomia*, as reported by Athenaeus |
| 1801 | Joseph Berchoux's poem *La Gastronomie* revives the word |
| 1825 | Brillat-Savarin publishes *Physiologie du goût*, defining gastronomy as the reasoned knowledge of everything relating to how people nourish themselves |
| 1903 | Auguste Escoffier codifies professional French cooking in *Le Guide Culinaire* |
| 2004 | The UNESCO Creative Cities Network launches, with gastronomy as one of seven fields |
| 2010 | The gastronomic meal of the French joins UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list |
Gastronomy in Türkiye
In the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, Türkiye's gastronomy members include Gaziantep (2015), Hatay (2017) and Afyonkarahisar (2019). We cover the foundations of the cuisine in our guide to Turkish cuisine and the palace kitchen in the legacy of Ottoman palace cuisine. For the Michelin selection, see the Michelin Türkiye guide.
How do you study gastronomy?
Türkiye has two main academic routes:
- Gastronomy and Culinary Arts (bachelor's): a four-year university program.
- Cookery (associate degree): a two-year vocational school program.
Quotas and requirements change every year, so check YÖK Atlas for current details. To see how roles divide in a professional kitchen, read about the kitchen brigade system and the entry-level commis.
What does a gastronomy consultant do?
A gastronomy consultant turns this knowledge into a working business: concept, menu, recipe standards, cost control and team training. See the scope on our culinary consulting and private chef services page. If you want to learn the language of the trade, the culinary terms glossary is a good start.
We compare the training and certificate options in how to become a chef.
