What is gastronomic identity? Exploring its definition and perception through sensory stimuli and projective mapping

The present study investigated how sensory stimuli, particularly olfactory stimuli from various aromas of herbs, spices, and ingredients, as well as visual stimuli including recipes photos, could contribute to the definition and identification of distinct gastronomic identities. Focus groups were conducted with gastronomes and chefs of diverse nationalities and with international professional experience. Sessions were structured into three parts: first, the concept of gastronomic identity was defined and discussed; then, participants identified specific gastronomic identities and listed the sensory stimuli that could be used to characterize them; and, finally, two Projective Mappings were conducted, one using olfactory stimuli (coded and blinded tubes containing different ingredients) and the other one using visual stimuli (photos of recipes from five different countries, but with no original information given). Data was analyzed through qualitative content analysis and Multiple Factor Analysis. The findings indicated that the concept of gastronomic identity could be described across five categories: sensory, environmental/territorial, sociocultural, emotional, and temporal. Gastronomic identity definition encompassed sensory elements and ingredients, culinary traditions, regions, and abstract concepts that allowed differentiating one cuisine from another. Projective Mapping results revealed that the aromas of the samples were associated with specific regions, social dimensions, and culturally meaningful festive events, while photos of recipes allowed an easy identification of specific gastronomic cultures such as the Italian one.