Barriers challenging social gastronomy entrepreneurs

The world has experienced significant changes in recent years, leading to the rise of social issues such as social exclusion, poverty, hunger, unemployment, and climate change, which threaten not only humanity but also the future well-being of societies. Social gastronomy entrepreneurship bridges these challenges and their solutions by acting as a catalyst. As a changemaker, chefs or professionals are more conscious than before and dedicate themselves to discover social needs, pursue opportunities, solve complex problems, and impact the broader social systems through the transformative and healing power of gastronomy. Despite these valuable contributions, social gastronomy entrepreneurship remains limited in reach and entrepreneurs face significant challenges when operating in the social domain. Therefore, this study aims to address the challenges in social gastronomy entrepreneurship and their hierarchical relationships. Using inductive content analysis, interpretive structural modeling, and MICMAC methods, the study identifies “cultural issues” and “social pressure” as the primary challenges. These barriers significantly influence other challenges and should be prioritized for effective resolution.