Culinary Imagination: The Essential Ingredient in Food and Beverage Management

Abstract

In this special issue of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management many issues confronting today's food and beverage manager are evident in the contributions received from a plethora of distinguished scholars whose perspectives embrace a variety of academic disciplines. Their articles highlight the current state of play in food and beverage research, reporting on the symbolism and 'meaning' of wine; the added value provided by increasing employee/customer interactions; legal issues, including duty of care in hospitality provision; the benefits of mass customization to flight catering; the influence of vanity and values in women's food preferences; and a comprehensive insight into the history and progress of food and beverage research. In responding to the dramatic social and technological changes that have occurred worldwide, hospitality, as we know it, can no longer be confined to hospitality management. Such developments require a new school of thought, one that is better equipped to think through the daunting complexities of our contemporary world. Clearly, the contributions published in this issue show that food and beverage operations research is but one dimension of a larger hospitality landscape. I commend this collection of articles to you in the knowledge that the topics, themes and insights contained within them will be of value to both academics and industry practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)