The effect of local peoples' perception of gastronomic image and authenticism on their intentions for the sustainability of local cuisine, the regulatory role of ethnocentrism

Worldwide, local communities play an instrumental role in the transmission of culinary heritage to future generations. Drawing upon a range of factors and behavioural intentions of local communities in safeguarding and sustaining their own cuisine, this study investigates the interrelationships between communities' perceptions of authenticity, their behavioural patterns and how they reflect on their own gastronomic identities. Specifically, Social Identity Theory was employed in the analysis of gastronomic, collective and individual identities. Local communities' motivations and efforts to safeguard and sustain their culinary culture were analysed within the conceptual framework of Value-Attitude-Behaviour Model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The fieldworks of this research were carried out in Artvin (a North-Eastern province of Turkey), and incorporated the participation of members from the local communities. The collection of data was accompanied by in-depth analyses. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was employed to determine the factorial structure of the variables while the measurement model was tested by the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). During the final stage of data analysis, the proposed model was assessed through the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The major findings of this study indicate that the perception of authenticity has strong, positive and statistically meaningful impacts on both gastronomic images and behavioural intentions. The study also reveals that authenticity acts as a standout element amplifying the values of a community's gastronomic identity while it also plays a leading role in shaping the initiatives for the safeguarding and sustainability of local culinary heritage.