Abstract:

In this study, it is aimed to determine to what extent cuisine chefs attach importance to gastronationalism in terms of the sustainability of national cuisine and how they protect and use national cuisine within the framework of national elements. In this context, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the cuisine chefs using the criterion sampling method. In the research in which the qualitative method was adopted, phenomenology was determined as the research design. The research data were subjected to content analysis and descriptive analysis, and five main themes, twenty-nine sub-themes and 234 codes were obtained. As a result of the research, national cuisine as a cultural heritage element, sustainability of national cuisine, tourist attitudes towards national cuisine culture, international awareness of national cuisine culture and government policies and strategies were determined as the main themes. In addition, it was determined that the most frequently mentioned topic by the cuisine chefs was the main theme of the sustainability of the national cuisine, and the topic they focused on the longest was the awareness/consciousness sub-theme. In general, it has been concluded that the main themes determined in the sustainability of the national cuisine culture have an important role.

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