グルメ
Meanings
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
fine food; high-quality food
Refers to food itself that is delicious, luxurious, or of high quality. Often used in compounds like グルメ番組 (gourmet show) or グルメ情報 (gourmet information).
from French gourmet
This town has many fine-dining restaurants.
I enjoyed some nice food over the weekend.
gourmet; epicure; food connoisseur
Refers to a person who loves and knows a lot about good food. This is the original meaning, but in modern Japanese the food sense (sense 1) is more common. Compare with 美食家 (more formal) and 食通 (more about knowledge).
He's quite a gourmet and knows many good restaurants.
Usage patterns
- グルメな〈場所〉a place known for fine food
There are many fine-dining restaurants around here.
- グルメを気取るto act like a food connoisseur
He acts like a gourmet, showing off his wine knowledge.
- 〈場所〉のグルメを楽しむto enjoy the local specialty food of a place
I love enjoying the local cuisine when I travel.