SPANISH CUISINE: AWARENESS, PREVALENCE, AND SATISFACTION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF HOSPITALITY EMPLOYEES
Abstract
Spanish cuisine represents one of the most significant gastronomic traditions, known for its diversity, regional specialties, and cultural value. Its variety of culinary products has developed as a result of Spain's unique geographical position and complex cultural and historical influences. The cuisine of this country has long transcended its borders and is now considered one of the most important international cuisines, with numerous dishes embraced worldwide. The subject of this research is the awareness and presence of Spanish cuisine, as well as the satisfaction with its offering in hospitality establishments in Belgrade, a major hospitality and tourism center. The primary objective is to examine the level of knowledge among hospitality workers regarding the characteristics of Spanish gastronomy and to determine the representation of Spanish dishes in the current food service offerings. The aim of the research is to assess the extent to which hospitality employees are familiar with the characteristics of Spanish cuisine, how present these dishes are in menus, and whether there is satisfaction with or potential for their broader inclusion in the offer. The research was conducted through a survey of employees in hospitality establishments in the Belgrade area, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study indicated limited awareness of Spanish cuisine, low representation of its dishes in the current offering, but also a high openness toward incorporating them into menus.
References
Anderson, L., Silleras-Fernández, N., Sims, H., Barnard, M., Boyd, S., Cruickshank, D., Andrews, J., Herrero-Senés, J., Méndez, N., Walters, G., Llorente, R., Lucas, J., Sanjurjo, J., McCarthy, E., Jarman, R., Bollig, B., & Marting, D. (2019). Reviews of books. Bulletin of Spanish Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/14753820.2019.1667628
Batlle-Bayer, L., Aldaco, R., Bala, A., Puig, R., Laso, J., Margallo, M., ... &Fullana-i-Palmer, P. (2020). Environmental and nutritional impacts of dietary changes in Spain during the COVID-19 lockdown. Science of The Total Environment, 748, 141410.
Berbel-Pineda, J. M., Palacios-Florencio, B., Ramírez-Hurtado, J. M., & Santos-Roldán, L. (2019). Gastronomic experience as a factor of motivation in the tourist movements. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 18, 100171.
Boronat, Ò., Mora, M., Romeo‐Arroyo, E., & Vázquez‐Araújo, L. (2023). Unraveling the Mediterranean cuisine. What ingredients drive the flavor of the gastronomies included in the Mediterranean diet? International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2023.100802
Boukid, F. (2024). Gastronomic heritage of legume foods in Southern Mediterranean cuisine. The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.8.18.19-34
Cantarero, L., Espeitx, E., Lacruz, M., & Martín, P. (2013). Human food preferences and cultural identity: The case of Aragón (Spain). International Journal of Psychology, 48(5), 881–890. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207594.2012.692792
Cordova-Buiza, F., García-García, L., Castaño-Prieto, L., & Valverde-Roda, J. (2024). Gastronomy's influence on choosing cultural tourism destinations: A study of Granada, Spain. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.55313-1285
Del Moral, R. (2020). Gastronomic paradigms in contemporary Western cuisine: From French haute cuisine to mass media gastronomy. Frontiers in Nutrition, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2019.00192
Edelstein, S. (2010). Food, cuisine, and cultural competency for culinary, hospitality, and nutrition professionals. Cengage Learning.
Fuentes-Luque, A. (2017). An approach to analysing the quality of menu translations in southern Spain restaurants. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 38, 177–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2016.1187154
Grubor, B., KalenjukPivarski, B., Đerčan, B., Tešanović, D., Banjac, M., Lukić, T., Živković, M. B., Udovičić, D. I., Šmugović, S., Ivanović, V., et al. (2022). Traditional and authentic food of ethnic groups of Vojvodina (Northern Serbia)—Preservation and potential for tourism development. Sustainability, 14, 1805. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031805
Hall, C. M., & Mitchell, R. (2008). Wine marketing: A practical guide. Routledge.
Hernández-Rojas, R., Folgado-Fernández, J., & Palos-Sánchez, P. (2021). Influence of the restaurant brand and gastronomy on tourist loyalty: A study in Córdoba (Spain). International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 23, 100305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2021.100305
Hirschfelder, G., Pollmer, M., & Schuller, B. (2020). Western food cultures and traditions. In Food culture in the modern world (pp. 19–39). https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-813171-8.00003-2
Jerez, M. (2023). Tourism marketing of the autonomous communities of Spain to promote gastronomy as part of their destination branding. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2023.100727
Jiménez Beltrán, J., López-Guzmán, T., & Santa-Cruz, F. G. (2016). Gastronomy and tourism: Profile and motivation of international tourism in the city of Córdoba, Spain. Journal of Culinary Science & Technology, 14(4), 347–362.
Kim, S., Choe, J., King, B., Oh, M., &Otoo, F. (2021). Tourist perceptions of local food: A mapping of cultural values. International Journal of Tourism Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2475
Lera, E. (2012). Gastronomy as a key factor in branding Spain. In Food and the Tourism Experience (pp. 115–122). https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264171923-9-en
Lin, B., Wang, S., Fu, X., & Yi, X. (2022). Beyond local food consumption: The impact of local food consumption experience on cultural competence, eudaimonia and behavioral intention. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijchm-01-2022-0099
Mannucci, P., Jolliet, O., Meijaard, E., Slavin, J., Rasetti, M., Aleta, A., Moreno, Y., &Agostoni, C. (2023). Sustainable nutrition and the case of vegetable oils to match present and future dietary needs. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1106083
Mazzocchi, A., Leone, L., Agostoni, C., & Pali-Schöll, I. (2019). The secrets of the Mediterranean diet: Does [only] olive oil matter? Nutrients, 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11122941
Nguyen, P. V., Le, T. B., Duong, Q. T., & Pham, T. A. (2020). Behavioral intention to experience ethnic cuisine restaurants: The impact of country-of-origin image, cuisine knowledge, and authenticity. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review (Kuwait Chapter), 9(3), 130–142.
Pérez-Priego, M., García, M., Jara-Alba, C., & Caro-Barrera, J. (2023). Local gastronomy as a destination tourist attraction: The case of the ‘Chiringuitos’ on the Costa del Sol (Spain). International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2023.100822
Procas, M., & Barroso, A. (2021). When national stereotypes become a brand: The case of Spain’s destination marketing. Cuadernos de Turismo, 179–202. https://doi.org/10.6018/turismo.474071
Pu, B., Du, C., &Phau, I. (2024). Effects of food experience on travel intention to the country of origin of food cuisine: A cross national study. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2024.01.004
Recuero-Virto, N. (2025). Culinary destination enchantment: The strategic interplay of local gastronomy in regional tourism development. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5027264
Roden, C. (2024). Early Arab cooking and cookery manuscripts. Petits ProposCulinaires. https://doi.org/10.1558/ppc.29594
Sánchez-Cañizares, S., & Castillo-Canalejo, A. (2015). A comparative study of tourist attitudes towards culinary tourism in Spain and Slovenia. British Food Journal, 117, 2387–2411. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-01-2015-0008
Serrano, M. (2016). Cocina españolatradición regional (Bachelor's thesis, Quito: USFQ, 2016)
Shkodrova, A. (2019). Rediscovering Europe and national cuisine: How EU integration is shaping food tastes in Sofia and Belgrade in the 21st century. Appetite, 133, 10–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.10.022
Šmugović, S., KalenjukPivarski, B., Ivanović, V., Tešanović, D., Novaković, D., Marić, A., ... &Paunić, M. (2024). The effects of the characteristics of catering establishments and their managers on the offering of dishes prepared with traditional food products in Bačka region, Serbia. Sustainability, 16(17), 7450.
Sotos-Prieto, M., Del Rio, D., Drescher, G., Estruch, R., Hanson, C., Harlan, T., ... & Kales, S. N. (2022). Mediterranean diet–Promotion and dissemination of healthy eating: Proceedings of an exploratory seminar at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 73(2), 158–171.
Tomé, P. (2021). Unexpected effects on some Spanish cultural landscapes of the Mediterranean diet. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073829
Vargas, A., De Moura, A., Deliza, R., & Cunha, L. (2021). The role of local seasonal foods in enhancing sustainable food consumption: A systematic literature review. Foods, 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10092206
Vidal-González, P., Medrano-Abalos, P., & Alvarez, E. (2021). A nightmare glocal discussion: What are the ingredients of Paella Valenciana? International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2021.100430
Wallnoefer, L., Riefler, P., & Meixner, O. (2021). What drives the choice of local seasonal food? Analysis of the importance of different key motives. Foods, 10 (11), 2715https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112715
Wild, M. J. (2015). Eating Spain: National cuisine since 1900 (Doctoral dissertation, University of Kentucky). Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies, 24. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/hisp_etds/24