Principles of Gastronomy - Case Study Example

Principles of Gastronomy Name Date Course Principles of Gastronomy Introduction Gastronomy is mainly concerned with food and drinks and it involves all the stages that are involved in the production and processing of food and drinks. The concepts of gastronomy are currently important when it comes to tourism. This is because most of the tourists usually travel to various destinations in order to taste and sample different food and drinks that are found in the particular destination. It is increasingly becoming common for tourists to travel to Australia in order to taste different cuisines and wines and hence the close association of gastronomy and tourism. The term culinary tourism is being used and it combines tourism and gastronomy. Gastronomy has also become an important tourism issue as food and drinks are closely related to different cultures or societies (Chaney, 2014). Each community or society has its own cuisine that is different from the other communities. This attracts the tourists to different destinations for the purposes of sampling and tasting the food and drinks from the different communities. Queen Victoria market is a farmers market that is based in Australia and it produces a host of food products. Yarra valley on the other hand has several wineries like Yarra Yering wineries which is has become a tourist attraction. The paper discusses the gastronomy as a tourist product in relation to the two sites. Discussion Farmers market About Queen Victoria Market Queen Victoria market is located in Melbourne and it was officially opened in 1878. The market is considered a farmers market due to the high number of farm produce that is sold at the market. Different varieties of food are also sold in the market and it reflects the local culture of the Australian people. Guided tours are available in the market for the purposes of highlighting the market’s food to the tourists (Guides, 2014). Among the food that is available in the market includes fresh organic vegetables, artisan cheeses, dressed meats, coffee, wines, fruits, honeycombs, doughnuts, seafood, gourmet, deli food, poultry and specialty delicacies. A hot doughnut van has also been operating in the market for almost half a century which is useful in attracting the tourists in the market. The Australian cuisines are also found in the market and open areas are available for the tourists and shoppers to sample different cuisines. The farm produce that are sold in the market are fresh and affordable to the tourists. The market is usually closed on Mondays and Wednesdays. However, it is usually opened in the evenings during the summer months for the purposes of entertaining the tourists. The market is quite popular in Australia as a tourist destination. Plans are underway by the authorities to transform the market into a gourmet hub. This will be achieved through the introduction of upmarket food stalls. The transformation will play an essential role in ensuring that the market attracts more tourists and more farm products and food is sold in the market. Gastronomic Tourism in the Market The concepts of gastronomic tourism are highly applicable in the market. Most of the tourists who visit the market mainly do so for the purposes of sampling the different types of food and farm produce that is found in the market. Several stalls are in place at the market where tourists can sample different Australian cuisines which is an indication that gastronomy is a product of tourism. On the other hand, it is also important to note that some products like the organic vegetable, honeycombs and doughnuts usually attract a lot of tourist. Gastronomy provides a cultural mean that is responsible for promoting tourism. Most of the food and meals are usually prepared by a specific culture or society. The tourists on the other hand are interested in the different cultures and this includes sampling of the different food and drinks found in the particular culture (Omar, 2014). This therefore links tourism to gastronomy which is applicable in Queen Victoria Market. The Australian cuisines are found in the market and it is only prepared in Australia. Most of the tourist travel to the market on order to taste the Australian cuisines and hence gastronomic tourism. The Australian culture can be displayed in the market through the food and drinks that are available which is an indication that the gastronomy is closely linked to the tourism. The traders at the market are also aware of the needs of the tourists which is mainly sampling and tasting the food and drinks that are found in the market. It is for this reason that different types of meals that reflect the Australian culture is sold at the market. According to the concepts of gastronomy, a meal is considered as a cultural artifact. People always travel to different destinations in order to learn about different cultures. This includes the meal that they take within the different cultures. The availability of the Australian cuisines at the market is therefore an indication that gastronomy is linked to tourism. Gastronomical concepts at Queen Victoria Market are therefore considered as a medium of cultural tourism. Gastronomy offers a viable alternative for tourists which are different from the traditional practices of visiting the beach (Beer, 2014). It is through the desire of the people to taste and sample different food and drinks that they travel from one destination to the other. Queen Victoria Market provides an import gastronomical site for the tourists from allover the world. Gastronomy also plays an important role in adding value to the tourists. The tourists can enjoy visiting different sites and also the food and drinks that is available. This is therefore an indication that gastronomy is a product of tourism. Most of the tourists who visit Melbourne will visit other sites then the market for the purposes of sampling and tasting the different food and drinks that are available at the market. The quest for good eating is also one of the factors that drive the tourists to Victoria market. The farm produce in the market are fresh as they are directly from the market. On the other hand, some of the food and drink that are found in the market have health benefits and hence attracting the tourists. Wine trail About Yarra Yering wineries Yarra valley is an important tourist destination that is popular for grape vineyards and wineries. Yering winery is one of the wineries that are found in the region and it produces high quality wine. Fortified wines as well as desert wines are produced at Yering wineries. The wines that are prepared in the winery are also used to accompany several meals. Tourists who visit Yering winery are usually shown the procedures that are involved in wine making and they are also taught about the history of wine making. The brands of wine that are prepared at Yering wineries includes the Underhill Shiraz, Agincourt, dry red wine, Chardonnay, pinot noir, Portsorts, Carrodous Merlot and Carrodous viognier. Yering wineries also produces wines that can be used at any occasion and hence its importance to the tourists. The wine that is produced by the winery is of different alcoholic contents and hence enabling consumer satisfaction. The wines that are fermented by the Yering winery have a long history and it dates back to almost a century (Kravetsky, 2014). The popularity of the wines from Yarra has led to the attraction of the tourists who visit the region to sample and taste the wines. Yering wineries are also known for its high quality of cork which ensures that the wine is stored in perfect conditions. The tourists are usually taken through the vineyards where the grapes are grown and hence enriching their experience. The products at Yering wineries are usually original and genuine. Gastronomic Tourism at Yarra Yering winery Yering wineries produce different types of wines that are original and of high quality. The tourists usually travel to Yarra valley for the purposes of tasting and sampling the different types of wines. This is therefore an indication that gastronomy is linked to tourism. On the other hand, some of the tourists also travel to Yarra valley for the purposes of learning about the wine production process and the grapes that are used for the purposes of producing the wine. A high number of tourists are also in search of the original and genuine wine from Australia that is difficult to find in any other part of the world. The wine that is found in Yarra Yering therefore inspires the tourists to visit the region. Gastronomy is a product of tourism as it influences the tourists to visit a particular destination mainly for the purposes of sampling a particular drink like the wine that is found in Yering valley. The tourists who visit Yarra Yering mainly do so for the sole purpose of sampling and tasting the wine and hence the relationship between tourism and gastronomy. The wine from Yarra Yering also portrays the Australian culture in terms of wine making. This inspires most of the local and international tourists to visit Yarra Valley in order to learn more about the Australian culture. The concepts of gastronomy are also important in creating a cultural identity within a community which is also important in terms of attracting tourists. This is applicable in the case of Yarra Yering Winery where the wine creates a cultural identity of Australia (Condrasky, 2012). Wine from Yarra Yering valley is also consumed by the tourists for the purposes of leisure as they perform other activities. This is an indication that the experience of the tourists is enhanced by consuming the wine. Gastronomy therefore plays an important role in ensuring that the tourists enjoy themselves as they perform other leisure activities. While visiting the valley, most of the tourists prefer consuming the wine for the purpose of enhancing their experience. This is therefore an indication that gastronomy plays a vital role in booting the experience of the tourists. Gastronomy adds to the human pleasures by enhancing the human experience (Björk, 2014). It is for this reason that gastronomy is closely related to tourism as it enhances the experience of the tourist and hence creating a memorable experience. Most of the tourists would always want to remember a certain destination with a particular experience or product. Yarra Yering winery provides a perfect product for the tourist to remember the destination. The tourists always remember the Yarra Valley for the great wines. Wine from Yering winery also compliment s the food and accommodation of the tourists who visit different tourist attraction sites at Yarra Valley. Gastronomy cannot be separated from tourism as this will impact negatively on the experience of the tourists. This has also contributed to the importance of gastronomy in tourism. Yering winery is thus an important tourist attraction site due to its high quality wine that is not found in other parts of the world. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that gastronomy is a product of tourism. Gastronomy has contributed positively towards the growth of tourism. It is evident that most of the tourists travel to different destinations in order to sample different types of food and drinks. Queen Victoria Market is an important farmers market that plays an important role in attracting the tourists both at the local and international level. The desire for the tourists to tastes the Australian cuisines drives them to the market and hence the relationship between gastronomy and tourism. It is also evident that Yarra Yering wineries attract tourists due to its high quality of wine. The ability of the tourists to travel to Yarra valley to sample and taste the wine is an indication that gastronomy is closely linked to tourism. It is also evident that gastronomy plays an important role in terms of creating a cultural identity with regards to a particular community. The creation of identity and expression of culture by gastronomy is also useful in attracting the tourists. Gastronomy is also useful in terms of enhancing the experience of the tourists. List of References Kravetsky, V, 2014, 100 of the Best White Wines (Vol. 1), A&V. Guides, R, 2014, Rough Guides Snapshot Australia: Melbourne and around, Penguin. Chaney, S, 2012, Analyzing the evolution of Singapore's World Gourmet Summit: An example of gastronomic tourism, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(2), 309-318. Omar, M, 2014, Experiencing-the-Experience: An Examination of the Significance of Infrastructure, Co-creation and Co-branding within the Transnational Gastronomic Tourism Industry, Transnational Marketing Journal, 2(1), 21-37. Beer, S, 2014, Food tourism: food fairs, festivals and markets, Tourism (London), (157), 10-11. Condrasky, M, 2012, Shoot, taste and post: an exploratory study of food and tourism experiences in an online image-share community, e-Review of Tourism Research, 10(3). Björk, P, 2014, Culinary-gastronomic tourism–a search for local food experiences, Nutrition & Food Science, 44(4), 4-4. Read More