Ceyhun Uçuk

The demand for coffeehouses has been growing globally; however, little is known about the psychological factors associated with individuals’ coffeehouse selection. Drawing on a value–motivation–intention framework, this study examines how materialism–coffeehouse as defining success (M-CDS), as an underlying value orientation, relates to snob, bandwagon, hedonic consumption tendency (HCT), and eudaimonic orientations, and how these orientations are associated with customers’ willingness to select coffeehouses. Survey data collected from Türkiye (n = 286) and Italy (n = 315) were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings showed that M-CDS was positively associated with all four psychological orientations, each of which was positively associated with willingness to select coffeehouses. Significant indirect effects were also observed through all four orientations, with the eudaimonic pathway showing the largest specific indirect effect. Multi-group analysis identified several between-country differences: the relationship between eudaimonic motivation and willingness was stronger among Italian participants, whereas the relationship between HCT and willingness was stronger among Turkish participants. These findings indicate that coffeehouse selection is associated not only with functional considerations but also with consumers’ value orientations and social and experiential motivations. The study extends previous research by incorporating the eudaimonic pathway and examining these relationships across Turkish and Italian samples, while offering practical insights for coffeehouse managers operating across different markets.

Lavender is a Mediterranean herb that is used relatively infrequently in the kitchen compared to other Mediterranean herbs, despite growing interest in its culinary applications. The question to be addressed in this narrative historical review is why that should be so. Several alternative hypotheses (historical, chemical, perceptual, psychological, physiological, and antimicrobial) are outlined and critically evaluated. Ultimately, it is suggested that lavender’s longstanding use as an anxiolytic (volatile) stimulus and its enduring association with fragrance, relaxation, and sleep may elicit cognitive inconsistency (or dissonance) with the notion of its use in the food and drink we consume (at least when perceptible as lavender, rather than when blending with other ingredients), while differences in antimicrobial activity, availability, and preservation appear insufficient to explain its comparatively limited culinary role. At the same time, lavender’s growing use in contemporary food and drink suggests that this association is neither fixed nor necessarily prohibitive, with culinary acceptance likely depending on context, familiarity, cultivar, concentration, and how its distinctive flavour is incorporated into food and drink.

This chapter investigates how neurogastronomy, artificial intelligence, and taste projection technologies are combining in marketing to provide multi-sensory, personalised consumer experiences. Neuroscientific insights are integrated with technologies such as AI-powered recommendation systems and virtual reality to help brands engage emotionally with customers. However, ethical concerns such as data privacy, cultural sensitivity, and manipulative behaviours necessitate the continued and responsible use of these technologies.

Fusion cuisine blends ingredients, cooking techniques, and flavours from different cultures, yet little is known about how it is perceived within the context of gastrodiplomacy. This study explores perceptions of fusion cuisine at a multicultural gastrodiplomacy event held in Kosovo, where the participants first sampled Turkish–Kosovar fusion dishes during tasting sessions and subsequently completed an online questionnaire designed to assess their experience. In this event, participants attended structured tasting activities in Prizren and Pristina, where they sampled dishes combining elements of both culinary traditions, and then completed an online structured questionnaire consisting of 5-point Likert-type items evaluating their fusion cuisine preferences. The study was conducted in Kosovo as part of a unilateral gastrodiplomatic initiative. A total of 451 participants responded to an online questionnaire, which included fusion cuisine preference scores and metaphorical descriptions of their culinary experiences. A key contextual characteristic of this study is that data were collected exclusively during a fusion cuisine event held in Kosovo, with participation from a multinational audience who attended the event. Therefore, the sample reflects diverse cultural backgrounds within a single-location setting. The results indicate that younger, highly educated, and higher-income participants exhibited significantly greater openness to culinary diversity. These findings advance the state of knowledge by demonstrating that public reception of gastrodiplomacy is stratified by socioeconomic factors rather than defined solely by national background. Practically, this implies that effective fusion-based diplomacy requires targeted strategies to bridge demographic gaps and ensure broader social inclusivity, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

This study aims to make a general evaluation of the services and cuisine quality of the restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide 2025 Bib Gourmand Turkey Bulletin based on Google reviews. During the data collection phase, a total of 3,649 reviews of 25 restaurants listed on Google Maps were collected using the web scraping technique. The collected textual reviews were analyzed using text mining techniques such as sentiment analysis and topic extraction. The sentiment analysis findings show that the opinions about the restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide 2025 Bulletin Bib Gourmand Türkiye were mostly positive (55.31%). The topic extraction results show that customers frequently refer to food and service quality, staff, and restaurant ambiance. In addition, it was determined that waiting time, cost, and portion size constitute significant negative concerns for customers. This research will improve the private sector and academic literature by explaining how consumers evaluate restaurants rated by an international restaurant rating agency.

Doğal afetler yalnızca fiziksel yıkımlara değil aynı zamanda ekonomik, sosyal ve kültürel sistemlerde köklü değişimlere yol açarak gastronomi ve gastronomi turizmi gibi kırılgan sektörleri de doğrudan etkilemektedir. Bu bölüm, afetlerin kültürel gıda sistemleri üzerindeki etkilerini, afet sonrası gastronomi uygulamalarının sosyo-kültürel boyutlarını ve teknoloji destekli finansal araçların sektör üzerindeki rolünü çok boyutlu bir yaklaşımla ele almaktadır. Yerel üretim zincirlerinin kırılması, geleneksel mutfakların tehdit altına girmesi ve gastronomik mirasın kaybolma riski, afet sonrası yeniden yapılanma süreçlerinin öncelikli meseleleri arasında yer almaktadır. Çalışmada, sahra mutfakları deneyimlerinden, dijital stratejilere, sosyal medyanın kriz yönetimindeki rolünden, afet öncesi dönemde geliştirilen finansal koruma mekanizmalarına kadar geniş bir yelpazede analizler yapılmıştır. Sonuç olarak, gastronomi sektörünün afetlere karşı dayanıklılığının artırılmasında kültürel duyarlılığı önceleyen teknoloji stratejilerinin, yerel bilgi sistemlerinin ve toplum temelli yaklaşımların kritik önemde olduğu vurgulanmaktadır. Çalışma, gastronomi ve afet yönetimi arasındaki ilişkiye disiplinler arası bir perspektiften katkı sunmayı amaçlamaktadır. Natural disasters cause physical destruction and radical changes in economic, social, and cultural systems, directly affecting vulnerable sectors such as gastronomy and gastronomy tourism. This book chapter addresses the effects of disasters on cultural food systems, the socio-cultural dimensions of post-disaster gastronomy practices, and the role of technology-supported financial instruments on the sector with a multidimensional approach. Breaking local production chains, threatening traditional cuisines, and the risk of loss of gastronomic heritage are among the priority issues of post-disaster reconstruction processes. The study analyses a wide range of issues from field kitchen experiences to digital strategies, from the role of social media in crisis management to financial protection mechanisms developed in the pre-disaster period. As a result, it is emphasized that technology strategies that prioritize cultural sensitivity, local knowledge systems, and community-based approaches are critical in increasing the resilience of the gastronomy sector against disasters. This chapter aims to contribute to the relationship between gastronomy and disaster management from an interdisciplinary perspective.