Food knowledge – what is it and where does it come from: a study of Culinary Management students at William Angliss Institute

Abstract

Food knowledge is a term that is not clearly defined in the literature, but an individual’s level of food knowledge can have a far reaching impact throughout an individual’s life. Governments provide information as to what to eat to help maintain good physical health. We hear through the media that certain foods are ‘good’ and certain foods are ‘bad’. What are these foods ‘good’ for? Should we be concerned with other ‘health’ issues such as environmental health, mental health, social health, and economic health? What we eat, how we eat it, and where it comes from are issues that influence a multitude of ‘health’ issues. Food knowledge allows individuals to make good food choices on, not only what to eat, but how to eat it and where to source it from. This study examined the level of food knowledge of students studying a Bachelor of Culinary Management at a leading hospitality Institute in Melbourne, Australia. This study asked the question of where students’ food knowledge may come from. By investigating the answers to these questions it is hoped that food education may be improved to ensure that hospitality industry professionals have an appropriate level of food knowledge to tackle the challenges presented to them by ever-changing cultural norms. The number of participants in this study was small, and hence this study provides a very limited view of a perceived wider social phenomenon. However, it may provide insights that are helpful to other institutions that offer similar programs. The research focused on two key research questions. The first question involved investigation of what students’ depth of food knowledge was, and the second investigated where their food knowledge came from. The study revealed that the level of food knowledge of this cohort was relatively poor and not appropriate for an individual who has chosen a career in a food related industry. It was also found that the major source of food knowledge was the family, which was consistent with the relevant literature. It was concluded in this study that curriculum in the specific degree studied needed to be altered at a foundation level to help rectify some students’ shortcomings in relation to food knowledge.