epicurism; gourmet philosophy
Refers to the pursuit of fine food and drink as a lifestyle or philosophy, similar to epicureanism. Often used in contexts of culinary appreciation.
He is an epicure and goes to a high-end restaurant every weekend.
食通 refers to a gourmet or connoisseur of food, while 美食主義 emphasizes the philosophy or principle of pursuing fine food.
グルメ is a more casual, loanword term for a food enthusiast, whereas 美食主義 is a formal, Sino-Japanese compound implying a principled approach.
Compound of 美食 (fine food, delicacy) and 主義 (principle, doctrine). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term follows standard Sino-Japanese word formation patterns.