By definition a gourmet is somebody who enjoys and knows a lot about good food and drink. In particular a gourmet is an expert of special food that relates to high-quality food that is sophisticated, expensive, rare, or meticulously prepared. A food gourmet is a person with a sensitive and discriminating palate and who is knowledgeable in appreciation of the culinary arts of food and drink, or haute cuisine. A Gourmand can also mean one who simply enjoys good food in great quantities. An epicure is much the same as a gourmet, but the word may sometimes carry overtones of excessive refinement.
Gourmet is often used as an adjective for meals of especially high quality, whose makers or preparers have used special effort or art in the presentation or cooking of the meal. The term has a connotation for elitism in eating preferences and is often used to describe people of refined taste and passion for food. The word gourmet is from the French term for a wine broker or taste-vin employed by a wine dealer who has a reputable name for being a connoisseur of delicious things that were not eaten primarily for nourishment.
The term Foodie is also sometimes used colloquially to describe a gourmet. But there are important distinctions to be made between the two terms. Some gourmets would not consider themselves foodies and many foodies would not consider themselves gourmets. Generally speaking, a foodie is a person who has a special interest in food, even foods at which a self-identified gourmet would turn up his nose. Certain events such as wine tasting cater to people who consider themselves gourmets and foodies, while publications such as the Gourmet magazine often serve gourmets with food columns and features.
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