National Cuisines à la Carte. The Hierarchies and Circulation of National Cuisines in the Field of Transnational Gastronomy

This article examines the structure, hierarchies, and circulation of “national cuisines” in the field of transnational gastronomy through a dual empirical entry point: the restaurant selection in 28 European capitals and the circulation of the twelve most widespread “national cuisines.” Principal component analysis reveals the dual structure of the field: a restricted-circulation pole, dominated by expert hierarchies, and a mainstream pole, in which success for a cuisine is defined by its degree of diffusion. The regularities identified in the circulation of certain national cuisines demonstrate the validity of the transnational approach proposed, revealing different diffusion models. This research highlights the importance of studying the circulation of national cuisines in their reciprocal relationships and across different price ranges, showing how the symbolic value linked to a national origin has strong performative power in the European restaurant market.