Култура на „бързото“ и „бавното“ хранене на българина в началото на XXI век
The Culture of „Fast“ and „Slow“ Food of the Bulgarians in the Beginning of 21st Century

Summary/Abstract: The text tries to analyze the anthropological aspects of the culture of the public catering of the Bulgarians in the beginning of 21" c. in its’ two main forms - the “fast” and the “slow” food. The analysis is made on the basis of fieldwork data mainly from the town of Sofia. The first part of the study presents foreign influences and fashions in the Bulgarian public catering and their mixture with the traditional Balkan food habits; elements of localization of global food patterns are sought - i.e. how and to what extent the big food chains are modified in Bulgarian conditions. The second part of the research is dedicated to the different consumer styles and tastes in relation to food and the groups of consumers, related to them. Although both models are clearly opposed in public consciousness, they is no direct competition between them. The real rivalry is between different chains inside their frames. Both types of public catering have their strong upholders and opponents. Most of the fast food lovers are young people, who rarely visit “real” restaurants. The lovers of the “slow” food use to neglect fast food chains. The famous maxim “You are what you eat”, showing the importance of the food ways for the construction of individual identity, is partly valid for the Bulgarian case. The groups of upholders of the two types of public catering are heterogeneous in terms of sex, age and social status. The most numerous is the group of people visiting both types of restaurants, but not frequently. High prices in fast food chains make them almost as much inaccessible for the ordinary Bulgarians as the expensive restaurants. Regular customers in both types of places are mainly people with no serious financial problems. In this context the famous Bourdieu statement that “taste classifies” - i.e. social subjects use to define each other according to their tastes is partially valid according to the Bulgarian material.

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