‘This Dish Is Not Made This Way!’ The Conflict Between Consumer Arrogance and the Preservation of Traditional Flavors

Öz

This study aims to examine attitudes conceptualized as consumer arrogance arising from the reinterpretation of traditional dishes, and the relationship these attitudes establish with the preservation of cultural heritage. As gastronomic modernization and innovative culinary practices gain momentum, tradition has become a powerful cultural point of reference associated with identity, belonging, and authenticity. In this context, the statement ‘‘This dish shouldn't be made like this!’’ expressed in response to modern interpretations of traditional dishes, is considered not merely a matter of individual taste preferences, but a normative attitude aimed at preserving cultural boundaries. The research was conducted with female consumers in Siirt province who had experiences and evaluations regarding traditional food practices. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling method and consisted of 8 individuals aged 18 and over. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews; an inductive interpretive approach was adopted using thematic analysis in the analysis process. The findings show that participants mostly perceive changes made to traditional recipes as ‘a distortion of the essence’; however, they can accept limited innovations that preserve the basic identity and taste integrity of the dish. The findings indicate that these attitudes are shaped not only on the basis of superiority or exclusion, but significantly by motivations to preserve cultural identity, belonging, and collective memory. The study suggests that gastronomic innovation has the potential to transform and reproduce tradition through negotiation within cultural boundaries; This shows that attitudes toward preserving traditional foods have a multifaceted structure, positioned between consumer arrogance and cultural preservation.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Consumer arrogance
• traditional food
• cultural heritage
• gastronomic innovation
• thematic analysis

‘‘Bu Yemek Böyle Yapılmaz!”: Tüketici Arrogansı ve Geleneksel Tatların Korunması Arasındaki Çatışma

Öz

Bu çalışma, geleneksel yemeklerin yeniden yorumlanması sürecinde ortaya çıkan tüketici arrogansı olarak kavramsallaştırılan tutumlar ve bu tutumların kültürel mirasın korunmasıyla kurduğu ilişkiyi incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Gastronomik modernleşme ve yenilikçi mutfak uygulamaları hız kazanırken geleneksellik; kimlik, aidiyet ve otantiklikle ilişkilendirilen güçlü bir kültürel referans noktası hâline gelmiştir. Bu bağlamda, geleneksel yemeklerin modern yorumlarına yönelik olarak dile getirilen “Bu yemek böyle yapılmaz!” söylemi, bireysel damak alışkanlığının ötesinde, kültürel sınırları korumaya yönelik normatif bir tutum olarak ele alınmaktadır. Araştırma, Siirt ilinde geleneksel yemek pratiklerine ilişkin deneyim ve değerlendirmeleri bulunan kadın tüketicilerle yürütülmüştür. Katılımcılar amaçlı örnekleme yöntemiyle seçilmiş ve 18 yaş ve üzeri 8 bireyden oluşmuştur. Veriler yarı yapılandırılmış derinlemesine görüşmeler aracılığıyla toplanmış; analiz sürecinde tematik analiz kullanılarak tümevarımsal bir yorumlama yaklaşımı benimsenmiştir. Bulgular, katılımcıların geleneksel tariflerde yapılan değişiklikleri çoğunlukla “özün bozulması” olarak değerlendirdiklerini; buna karşın, yemeğin temel kimliği ve tat bütünlüğünü koruyan sınırlı yenilikleri kabul edebildiklerini göstermektedir. Bulgular, bu tutumların yalnızca üstünlük veya dışlayıcılık temelinde değil, önemli ölçüde kültürel kimlik, aidiyet ve kolektif belleği koruma motivasyonlarıyla şekillendiğine işaret etmektedir. Çalışma, gastronomik inovasyonun kültürel sınırlar içinde müzakere edilerek geleneği dönüştürme ve yeniden üretme potansiyeli taşıdığını; geleneksel yemeklerin korunmasına yönelik tutumlarınsa tüketici arrogansı ile kültürel korumacılık arasında konumlanabilen çok katmanlı bir yapıya sahip olduğunu göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Tüketici arrogansı
• geleneksel yemekler
• kültürel miras
• gastronomik inovasyon
• tematik analiz

Etik Beyan

Araştırma için 07.04.2025 tarih ve 1116 sayılı Siirt Üniversitesi Etik Kurulu’ndan gerekli izin alınmıştır (Evrak Tarih ve Sayısı: 11.04.2025-8938).

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