The phenomenon of alimentary culture: a conceptual analysis

The research notes that the regulation of food production and consumption among different ethnic groups and denominations has always been an important component of their common culture. Differentiation could occur depending on gender, status, social, age, seasonal, and geographical characteristics. Since ancient times, humankind has created a food culture environment. It fits into the culture system in special ways, the so-called cultural codes. Cooking and food serving technologies go beyond the private profession and become a public action as a part of festivals, symposia, and exhibitions of culinary arts competitions. There is a growing demand for gastronomic tourism which not only introduces the cuisine of different geographic zones and ethnic groups but also contributes to their distribution. All this suggests that food is regarded as both a way to meet biological needs and a cultural phenomenon. The study analyzes the concepts relevant to food production and consumption and substantiates the benefits of the term ‘alimentary culture’.