What Motivates Students To Study Gastronomy? the Case of Türkiye

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the motivations of students who enrolled in undergraduate gastronomy departments in T & uuml;rkiye to study gastronomy. Qualitative research approach was adopted to examine these motivations of the students in depth. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with 48 students from 13 universities between 01 October-25 November 2022. As a result of the analysis, five main dimensions revealed that affect students' motivation to study gastronomy (popularity, job opportunities, interest in practical aspects of gastronomy, desire to know different cultures and recommended by family and friends). This study has several important theoretical and practical implications for students, department heads and lecturers, the food and beverage industry, and researchers. Given that this research is the first to thoroughly examine the motives of students studying gastronomy and no similar studies have been found in existing literature, the findings of this study are considered original.