(Un)connections between gastronomy education and the food and beverage industry: Research on stakeholders and model proposal

The popularity of gastronomy and culinary arts departments in Turkey is increasing day by day and there is an increase in the number of departments and the numberof those prefer them. The purpose of this research is to determine the (un)connections between the departments of gastronomy and culinary arts and the food and beverage industry. In addition, determining the active learning methods and practices that can be applied in the gastronomy and culinary arts department courses in line with the opinions of the research participants and proposing an educational model are also among the aim of the research. In line with these objectives, semi-structured interviews were conducted with academicians of the gastronomy and culinary arts department in Turkey, culinary chefs in managerial positions in the food and beverage industry, and finally graduates of the department who continue to work in the food and beverage industry, by using the phenomenological research design, one of the qualitative research patterns. The collected data were analyzed using the Maxqda 2022 program. As a result of the analyses of the research, 4 themes emerged as gastronomy and culinary arts education, sector, employment of the gastronomy and culinary arts graduates and finally suggestions. The theme of gastronomy and culinary arts education, which is one of the themes addressed within the scope of the research, consisted of 3 categories. These are; the status of gastronomy and culinary arts education, the requirements for appropriate and correct education and the common characteristics of graduates/students. The sector theme, which is the second of the themes discussed, consists of 5 categories. These are; the current problems of the industry, the desired graduate profile, internship dates, the relationship between the sector and academia and finally the suitability of education for the sector. Another of the determined themes, the theme of employment of graduates of the department of gastronomy and culinary arts, consisted of 2 categories. These are; reasons for leaving the sector and work experiences. The last of the themes covered within the scope of the research, the suggestions theme, consists of suggestions for academicians, suggestions for gastronomy and culinary arts student candidates, and suggestions for sector/sector employees categories. In addition, there are codes and sub-codes that create all these themes and categories. A code cloud, code map and code matrix were created by determining the number of repetitions of the codes and sub-codes that make up each theme and category. With the contribution of each participant in the research, active learning methods and practices that can be applied in the course types in the gastronomy and culinary arts department curricula were determined and tabuled. Considering all the findings and results of the researh, an educational model that can be applied in gastronomy and culinary arts education has been proposed. Finally, in the light of the findings and results obtained in the research, some suggestions were made to the gastronomy stakeholders.