The word ‘gastronomy has been defined by different authors in different ways. As a concept, its definition is domicile in a number of food-related studies such as catering, food science, nutrition and dietetics. In the literal sense, gastronomyis the art and science of cooking and eating good food (Longman, 2005).
Tikkanen (2007)defines practical gastronomy as the study of food and how culture has affected its growth in a particular style. Suffice to say, gastronomy has a lot to do with the study and practice of planning and compilation of menus with a view to producing certain foods and drinks that are fit for consumption. To buttress this, Cousins (2012) defines the term as the study and practice of preparing, cooking, and serving different foods and drinks to meet varying needs of guests and tourists from different countries around the world.
Research has proved that the quality level of food is a key determinant of gastronomic experience. Maslow in his need’s hierarchy theory describes food as a physiological need (Kreitner and Kinicki, 1995); but Medlik (2001) sees it is an attraction in tourism destination. In this work, food is viewed not only as a basic need of life; but, also an integral aspect of tourism (Tikkanen, 2007).
Gastronomy, as we see it today play as a vital role in food-tourism. It is an indispensable aspect of travelling (Fields, 2002; Sanchez-Canizaresand Lopez-Guzman, 2012); and boosts the experience of tourists more than just being nourishment (Chaney and Ryan, 2012). It has become a key factor in attracting international tourists (Horng and Tsai, 2010).
Today, people travel to different places around the world to experience the art and culture of foodservice in its splendour which when interpreted in tourism language means food-tourism. Many tourism industry’s sectors including transportation, restaurants, cafes and pubs have come to realize that they can use gastronomic offerings like food and drink as a source of attraction in marketing to differentiate brands (Lin, Pearson and Chai, 2011); and broaden their market-base (McKercher, Okumuş, and Okumuş, 2008). Also, food is a source of enjoyment and opportunities that have fine memories for the tourists (Boniface, 2003; Long, 2004; Sanchez-Canizaresand Lopez-Guzman, 2012).
