Gastronomy is the study of food and culture, examining food itself, its context, presentation, freshness, and history. It is a demanding multidisciplinary art that combines science, society, and art. Gastronomy informs the culinary world, but not all chefs are gastronomes.
Gastronomy is the study of food and culture, with an emphasis on gourmet cuisine. Modern gastronomy has its roots in numerous French texts published in the 1800s, but the idea of relating food, science, society and art has been around for much longer. True gastronomy is a demanding multidisciplinary art that examines food itself together with its context, presentation, freshness and history. While commonly associated with foodies and a sweet tooth, gastronomy is actually its own discipline, although some foodies are certainly foodies, as are some with a sweet tooth.
The tenet of gastronomy is that food is a science, as well as an art form. By understanding how all of the senses contribute to an experience, a gastronome can more fully understand what is happening when a consumer says they dislike or like a particular food. Gastronomy also examines the sociological implications of food, along with the integration of other social science disciplines such as anthropology, psychology and philosophy. The role of food in fine art such as performance art, painting and sculpture is also examined, as part of a closer look at the role of food in society at large.
At the base of gastronomy there is, of course, food. A gastronome looks at how fresh the food is, how it is prepared, what flavors are used, how it is presented, whether the colors of the food blend on the plate, and what the overall message of the food looks like. However, the gastronome also looks more deeply into food, looking into the cultural influences that contributed to that particular dish of food, the science behind it, and the history. The highly scientific study of food, sometimes called molecular gastronomy, also plays a role. For example, a molecular gastronome can explain the physical and chemical interactions that occur in a deep fryer, potentially leading to fried dishes that are lighter and less oily, as the precise mechanism is understood, allowing pitfalls to be avoided.
An apple pie isn’t simply an apple pie for a gastronome, looking at what kind of apple was used, the history and classic flavor profile of that apple, the flour used in the crust, the origin of the shortening, the type of sugar or sweetener used in the cake and the spice blend that gives the cake dimension and flavor. In addition, the overall presentation of the cake is examined: a gastronome reviews how the cake was made, how he intersects with other offerings in the dessert course including wines, and how the cake is presented, as well as the nutritional science behind the cake which creates a specific nutritional content and a flavor profile.
Gastronomy certainly informs the culinary world, but not all cooks and chefs are gastronomes. Many prefer to focus only on the culinary aspects of gastronomy, producing foods of high quality and flavour, but not delving into the scientific and historical implications of the foods they serve. A chef who also studies gastronomy often works much more with fusion cuisine, presenting bold flavor combinations and foods made in unusual ways designed to challenge convention and expectations. This cook can also explain the basics of scientific interactions in cooking, as well as outline the history of the foods used.
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