Foodie: meaning, definitions and examples

Used broadly to describe someone who loves food and enjoys exploring different cuisines. It's a casual term and doesn't imply any deep expertise.

• She's such a foodie; she loves trying new restaurants every weekend.
• I follow a lot of foodie accounts on Instagram for recipe inspiration.

Describes someone who appreciates and knows about high-quality, sophisticated food and drink. It often has a formal connotation and indicates a refined palate.

• He's a true gourmet who spends weekends perfecting his sous-vide techniques.
• The gourmet chef created a menu that wowed everyone.

Indicates someone passionate about food but doesn't necessarily imply a high level of knowledge or expertise. It's an intermediate term between 'foodie' and 'culinary aficionado'.

• As a food enthusiast, she loves sharing her cooking experiments with friends.
• The food enthusiast traveled to Italy just to try the authentic pasta dishes.

Refers to someone who has a deep love and knowledge of cooking and fine cuisine. It's a more sophisticated term and implies a higher level of expertise.

• As a culinary aficionado, he can distinguish between subtle flavors in gourmet dishes.
• The culinary aficionado hosted a dinner party featuring a seven-course meal.