Ethical evaluation of internships for students of gastronomy and culinary arts and cooking: The case of Ordu University

This thesis was conducted using a mixed-method approach to determine the types and frequency of unethical behaviour encountered by students in the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts and Cooking Departments at Ordu University during their internship process and to examine the effects of this behaviour on the students. In order to collect the data obtained in this study, the 'Unethical Behaviour Observation Scale in the Cooking and Gastronomy Internship Process' developed by the researcher and a semi-structured interview form were used to identify unethical behaviours encountered by students during their internship training. The scale consists of five sub-dimensions and a total of 18 items, divided into five main categories: unethical behaviour in service production, workplace behavioural unethical behaviour, management-related unethical behaviour, hygiene-related unethical behaviour, and work condition-related unethical behaviour. The unethical behaviours identified in the study include working conditions, managerial attitudes, hygiene rules, service production processes, and behavioural interactions. The findings reveal that ethical awareness may vary according to certain demographic characteristics, particularly education level and gender. In-depth interviews with students who reported encountering unethical behaviour during their internships revealed that most participants felt that the unethical behaviour they encountered during their internships had a negative impact on their professional identities. In particular, the experiences of female employees reflect the power dynamics and gender inequality in the sector. Steps taken to improve the quality of internship programmes in gastronomy education will help resolve issues encountered during the internship process and create a more equitable working environment. Keywords: Gastronomy, Ethics, Internship, Cooking, Ordu