Tasty Diplomacy: National Cuisines in International Relations: Gastrodiplomacy 2

Abstract

One of the more recent domains of cultural diplomacy, gastrodiplomacy, has undergone remarkable development within a short period of time, moving within only a few years from relative neglect to a recognized subject of academic inquiry. By leveraging national cuisines, gastrodiplomacy enables countries with relatively weak nation brands to enhance their cultural visibility; consequently, an increasing number of states—particularly middle powers—have employed this element of soft power to advance their political objectives. The strategic objectives of gastrodiplomacy involve the formulation of coherent messages, the establishment of supportive mechanisms to facilitate implementation, and the securing of international publicity. This study, through concrete examples, focuses on the deliberately constructed and organized governmental strategies, their key components, and aims to map the continuously expanding toolkit available for the practice of gastrodiplomacy.