Determinants of diner response to oriental cuisine in speciality restaurants and selected classified hotels in Nairobi county, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2014-11-28
Authors
Nyakira, Norah Eileen
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Oriental cuisine refers to ethnic food or specific regional CUISIne of the Far East.
Countries of the Far East are Japan, China, Malaysia, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and
Thailand. Cuisine of the East is viewed as inedible by some diners. There has been great
need to understand diner food preference from a global or cross-cultural perspective due
to the growing amount of international business especially from the East. Studies on
culinary cuisine have concentrated on African traditional foods, yet information on
oriental cuisine is negligible locally. This study has to rely on studies done in Europe and
Asia from which to develop an approach to this study. The researcher will look at oriental
cuisine phenomenon from the viewpoint of diners by exploring diners' demographic
profiles, response to oriental cuisine of Far East speciality restaurants, factors that
influence diner's decision to dine in the Far East oriental, evaluate diner experience in
oriental cuisine restaurants and perception towards oriental cuisine in speciality
restaurants and classified hotels in Nairobi County. These objectives will set the stage
that will help demystify the beliefs held by diners about this cuisine. Methodology part
discusses the target population and the sample size arrived at which is proportionate to
the population. The study will employ cross-sectional exploratory and descriptive survey
design. Data analysis techniques to be used in this study, such as descriptive statistical
analysis, multivariate regression analysis and inferential statistics among other methods
are briefly discussed together with how the dependent and independent variables will be
measured. The study will take place in Nairobi County which is the capital city of Kenya
and is cosmopolitan with a diverse multi-ethnic population. Purposive random sampling,
systematic random sampling, census and simple random sampling and will be used in the
study. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and means will be used to describe the
demographic profile of respondents. Descriptive analysis will also be used to analyze
questions on the likert scale. Chi-square CX2
) will be used to measure categorical data and
association of two attributes to determine the strengths of associations. Diner experience
and perception will be measured using regression analysis and their relationship with
intervening variables and later described using inferential statistics. The findings of the
study is likely to reveal that while some domestic diners hold a negative perception
towards oriental cuisine, those who are exposed by frequent dining out or have possibly
visited the East may be willing to eat oriental cuisine. There is also a possibility that
oriental cuisine of East Asia has been changed to suite the local palate of diners in
speciality restaurants. These are known as blended or fusion cuisine which is acceptable
among domestic diners. The findings of this study will be used to identify important
consumer concerns in the foodservice industry especially in oriental cuisine restaurants. It
will be beneficial to the hospitality industry in unveiling food biases and will suggest the
need to create awareness through food festivals and which will in turn promote Kenya as
a multicultural destination - "a home away from home" with an for integrated economy