Attitudes of cooking program students towards the sustainability of gastronomy tourism

This study aims to understand the attitudes of culinary program students toward the sustainability of gastronomy and to identify the factors influencing these attitudes. Sustainable gastronomy is an important approach that includes elements such as the use of local products, reduction of environmental impacts, prevention of food waste, and preservation of cultural heritage. In this context, the main objective of the study is to evaluate students’ attitudes toward the sustainability of gastronomy and to examine how these attitudes differ according to variables such as sector experience, gender, and cultural environment. The research was conducted in 2024 with 245 participants selected from among students studying in the field of gastronomy. A survey method was used as the data collection tool. The analyses revealed that sector experience did not have a significant effect on students’ attitudes toward sustainable gastronomy. In contrast, gender created a significant difference in some dimensions of sustainable gastronomy attitudes; specifically, female students were found to be more sensitive and positive toward sustainability issues than their male counterparts. Regarding the variable of cultural environment, no significant difference was found in students’ attitudes toward the sustainability of gastronomy. These findings indicate that increasing sustainability awareness in gastronomy education should not be based solely on sector experience but should also include activities and content designed to strengthen gender-based awareness. The lack of a significant effect of the cultural environment suggests that sustainability perceptions are shaped similarly, independent of cultural contexts. To improve the generalizability of the findings, studies with larger sample groups and in-depth interview methods are recommended