Indigenous Culinary Claims and Molecular Gastronomy: developing a model for Culinary Tourism In Zimbabwe

Abstract

Destinations around the globe have used their indigenous cuisines as a new tourism product whose uniqueness, authenticity and the general quality has given them a niche market for a competitive advantage. However, for other destinations, especially in developing countries, not much has been done. This was as a result of a lack of preservation of indigenous cuisines for that uniqueness and authenticity, and Zimbabwe is no exception. Furthermore, there is generally a lack of rational understanding of the phenomenon involved in the food preparation process which is key for the development of quality cuisines. The uniqueness of a country’s cuisines is embedded in indigenous people’s methods and procedures of food preparation and cooking (indigenous culinary claims). The aim of this study was to: assess the validity of Zimbabwe’s indigenous culinary claims through molecular gastronomy for the development of a model for culinary tourism. The specific objectives of the study were as follows: 1) to establish the nature of culinary tourism in Zimbabwe 2) to assess the extent to which indigenous cuisines are being consumed by tourists in Zimbabwe. 3) to explore the available indigenous culinary claims in Zimbabwe 4) to conduct an assay of Zimbabwe’s indigenous culinary claims through molecular gastronomy and 5) to develop a model for culinary tourism in Zimbabwe from the indigenous culinary claims and molecular gastronomy. The pragmatic philosophy was applicable and mixed methodology were used to cater for the multidisciplinary nature of the study. Similarly, a number of research designs were employed: survey, exploratory, descriptive, and experimental and observation. Data was collected from tourists, hospitality industry practitioners, indigenous elderly women, food science students, hospitality lecturers and canteen staff using structured and open-ended questionnaires, observation guides and in-depth interviews. These respondents were sampled through, purposive, convenient and snow balling methods. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative data, while the quantitative data used descriptive and non-parametric statistical methods from SPSS version 23. Tables, charts, graphs were used for quantitative data presentation, while qualitative data was presented in themes. The study findings indicated that culinary tourism in Zimbabwe was made up of a product which is compromising on the quality of indigenous cuisines in that: they were lacking in variety, the indigenous taste, authenticity and uniqueness and the prices were rather on the high side. Furthermore, the indigenous cuisines were still not a motivation for the choice of the destination. Findings on the indigenous culinary claims were based on the importance attached to the local foods, which was the reason for the indigenous people to attach that iv value to food preparation and everything else that was related to their cuisines. Indigenous culinary claims focused on coming up with a specific quality of the product, therefore, all methods and procedures had explanations to why and how. Claims validation indicated that specific aspects of the cuisine were affected by the processes and procedures in its preparation and cooking as well as its service. The conclusion drawn from the study was that the indigenous culinary claims were valid, because the dishes prepared using the indigenous claims had better quality than those which did not follow the specification. The study findings can assist in informing policy on product development in the hospitality industry. On the practical side, the culinary claims and molecular gastronomy model can be used in developing indigenous cuisines and other culinary products for culinary tourism. This study, fulfils Education 5.0, when the model is used in the hospitality industry. This study recommends the exploration and validation of indigenous culinary claims to continue in other provinces of Zimbabwe,and the industry should start using the mode proposed by this study. The validation of indigenous culinary claims can be done using the qualitative method in other studies to complement the quantitative findings study of claims validation can use the qualitative method.