Gastronomic Code of the City

This article explores the city’s cultural code, which allows the city to be understood and deciphered within a unified context through images, concepts, and symbols from various sign systems and eras. Part of this cultural code is its gastronomic component. The gastronomic code of a modern city preserves the distinctive cultural experience of preparing and consuming food. The article aims to scientifically substantiate the concept of a “city’s gastronomic code” and, based on empirical data, identify relevant and latent gastronomic images that foster local identity and support urban branding. The author notes that the formation of this code is shaped by natural, climatic, socioeconomic, historical, religious, and ethnic factors. Its meanings are encoded through visual, verbal, tactile, and behavioral dimensions. The gastronomic code preserves and conveys the aesthetics of dining, often reflected in the art of food presentation. Its institutional aspect is manifested through the traditions and practices of food establishments (restaurants, bistros, coffee shops, and canteens), as well as specific requirements for food preparation and consumption. The gastronomic code frequently underlies recognizable urban images and brands, including recipes, dishes, technologies, and culinary rituals. The author illustrates these key points using an empirical study of the cultural code conducted in 2023—2024 in Veliky Novgorod and St. Petersburg via structured interviews. The sample included 52 residents from Veliky Novgorod and 50 from St. Petersburg, with quotas based on age, gender, length of residence, and employment sector to ensure qualitative representativeness. Analysis of the data revealed the significance of specific gastronomic images as structural elements of the cultural code through which residents perceive and recognize the modern city. The insights gained from this research offer a vital intellectual resource for both strengthening urban identity and designing contemporary urban development strategies.