Vegetarian or ethical influences. Medicinal or health focused balance of ingredients. Such as low fat, gluten free, low carbohydrate etc, some are also cultural, like imperial Chinese cuisine focused on the health needs of the patron etc, many international cuisines have a health cuisine. This can also be expanded to balance of spices and herbs with a health focus. Production influences. Such as organic, sustainability issues, low carbon, a seasonal cuisine or supporting local producers etc. Quality and freshness of food and ingredients. Communal food. This can be cooking and preparing as well as eating with family and friends, whether this expands to food communally produced or not, or getting involved in community cooking such as holding food stalls, cultural festivals, volunteer cooking for your local church or social group etc. Comfort food or “feel good” focus. “Knowing” food. This preference wishes to know about the food, where it comes from, who produces it down to the dynamics of production such as soil types, seasonal influences and harvest methods. DIY food. This mostly focuses more on cooking from scratch and making various things (such as breads, preserves etc) by hand. Nostalgia food. This can be an interest in older fashioned recipes and methods which are now rare, or recipes from your childhood. Slow food movement. The slow food movement celebrates many things such as more gentle cooking and a more relaxed dining method. Aesthetics of the food Such as how it is presented as well as what it is served on (dishware and cutlery etc), and considerations such as art (art nouveau cuisine is a good example), structure and garnish, a “wow factor” or colours etc. Elitist movement. This can be selecting certain types of meals due to class focuses (such as not eating the more older peasant style dishes, or everyday dishes eaten by the ordinary person), it can be expanded to buying foods endorsed by “experts”. There are however many more.
Some advantages are that it can expand your horizons in cooking and dining methods as well as gain an insight into different cultures. It can introduce you to new ideas and methods that could introduce more interest, fun and enjoyment into your cooking as well as meet new friends. The disadvantage is it can work exactly the opposite way, such as isolating you from people who do not have a food philosophy, or creating prejudice for those who don’t have a philosophy.
A common trap is a case where a person buys “the best” simply because it is said to be the best, without actually knowing why it is good or what makes the other inferior. There can be quite a degree of ignorance and influence easily by celebrity chefs so this person might easily be taken advantage of (as they might not know the difference), or pay more for something they could easily make themselves, or pay more for a same quality product just because of the endorsement, or miss out on many good cuisines that are not “endorsed” Another trap is a person who focuses too much of one just type of cuisine - such as solely comfort food may compromise their health, or live in a very small range of dishes and repertoire.
