Cocreation of gastronomy experience through cooking classes

Abstract

Purpose Following previous research highlighting the importance of gastronomy experience through cooking classes, this study aims to explore the relationships among gastronomy experience, cocreation, experience satisfaction, subjective well-being (SWB) and quality of life (QOL). Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from domestic tourists who attended the Korean temple food cooking classes. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to verify the hypothesized relationships. The degree of cocreation was also tested for its potential moderating role on the relationships between gastronomy experience and experience satisfaction using a multigroup analysis. Findings Results revealed the strong and positive effects of the four dimensions of gastronomy experience on satisfaction. Furthermore, experience satisfaction was found to indirectly influence QOL through SWB. The effects of the education and entertainment experiences on satisfaction were found to be more positive in the high degree of cocreation group compared with the low degree of cocreation group. However, the influence of the escapism experience on satisfaction was greater in those less involved with the cocreated experiential activity. Research limitations/implications Findings may assist tourism marketers and local stakeholders to better understand the nature of gastronomy experiences and the importance of cocreation when designing and promoting gastronomy tourism experiences. Originality/value This study introduced an integrative framework that provides a better knowledge of the cocreated experience in the context of gastronomy tourism, and this model may be useful in designing impactful gastronomy experiences that lead to true value cocreation and consequently enhancing QOL.