人們在觀看電視紀錄片《舌尖上的中國》時，自然會想到“吃貨”這個詞。“吃貨”指“喜歡吃各類美食的人”。英語可以譯為 foodie或 foody，人們用不同表述來定義 foodie，例如：

1. A foodie/foody refers to someone who has an ardent and enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food.“吃貨”指對烹調和品嚐美食有濃烈興趣的人。

2. A foodie/foody is a person who has a refined interest in good food and drink. A foodie seeks new food experiences as a hobby.“吃貨”是對美食和美酒有雅趣的人。“吃貨”把尋求新的美食經曆作為嗜好。

被稱為“吃貨”的人愛吃，會吃
，甚至會做，對美食有一種獨特的追求和向往，例如：

3. Numerous restaurants in this area offer foodies a choice of Chinese food, Indian food and Korean food.這個區域的眾多餐館為吃貨們提供了中國菜、印度菜和韓國料理等多種選擇。

“吃貨”是個通俗詞，漢語另有高雅的同義詞，例如“美食愛好者”“美食客”“美食家”“美食達人”等。英語的 foodie或 foody也是通俗詞
，另有不少高雅的同義詞，像 gourmet, gastronome, gastronomist, bon vivant, connoisseur, epicure, epicurean等
，例如：

4. A gourmet is someone who not only enjoys good food, but also knows a lot about food and wine.美食家是不僅享受美食，而且非常精通美食美酒的人。

5. The fish dish my mother cooks is so delicacies that beguiles even the mostdiscerning gourmet.我媽媽燒的魚非常美味，甚至最識貨的美食家都會著迷。

gourmet還可以用作定語，修飾 food，wine，cuisine，cooking，dinner等與飲食有關的名詞，例如：

6. John is a committed party-goer, and loves gourmet food and wine.約翰熱衷於參加派對，酷愛美食美酒。

7. This restaurant serves authentic gourmet Sichuan-style cuisine for lunch and dinner.這家餐館的午餐與晚餐提供正宗美味川菜。

gastronome和 gastronomist都是“美食家”
，但有細微區別，前者注重烹調術，而後者更關心飲食文化，例如：

8. A gastronome looks at how fresh the food is, how it is prepared, which flavours are used, and how it is presented.美食家注重食物新鮮程度，如何烹製
，使用什麼調味品
，以及如何呈現。

9. A gastronome is well versed in gastronomy, while a gastronomist unites theory and practice in the study of gastronomy. gastronome精通烹調術

，而 gastronomist在研究烹調術時將理論與實踐結合。

bon vivant源自法語，直譯為 good liver，即“快樂生活的人”，相當於“錦衣玉食者”。法國人也是以食為天，講究飲食，故 bon vivant具有“美食家”的內涵，例如：

10. A bon vivant is a person with cultivated, refined, and sociable tastes, especially with respect to food and drink.美食家是有教養、雅致而愛交際的人
，尤其在美食美酒方麵很有品位。

connoisseur也源自法語，是鑒賞藝術的行家。法國人將享受美食美酒作為飲食文化。如果 connoisseur解釋為“美食家”，則強調鑒賞美食美酒的能力
，例如：

11. A connoisseur is an expert in a particular subject, knowing a lot about art, or food and wine.鑒賞家是某一特定領域的專家，熟知藝術或美食美酒。

epicure尤指喜歡吃稀奇食物的美食家，例如：

12. An epicure cultivates a refined taste, especially in food and wine.美食家養成了雅致的品位
，尤其在美食美酒方麵。

epicurean尤指追求奢侈和舒適的美食家，例如：

13. An epicurean is devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasure, especially to the enjoyment of good food and comfort.美食家一門心思追求感官愉悅，特別是享受美食和舒適生活。

上述表示“美食家”意思的英語詞彙，著重點不同。 gourmet強調喜愛美食
； gastronome強調美食烹飪過程； gastronomist強調美食烹飪知識
； bon vivant強調享受生活，享受美食； connoisseur強調美食鑒賞； epicure強調享受稀奇美食； epicurean強調享受奢侈美食。

下麵是一個意大利美食家的故事：

I have had great interest in culinary art since I was a little boy. I liked making experiments in the kitchen when I was young. I studied chemistry at school, and I found that both chemistry and cooking were to put things together and create surprise. Cooking makes me younger. I’ve been working as an Italian chef in countries like Italy and Netherlands. And I won’t give up my research on Italian food，which has already lasted for 15 years, because it’s a job that you will never say “I know it all”. I also wish that cooking can be my lifelong career, because it makes me keep on studying new things every day and helps me cultivate my culinary skills. Among various Western foods, I favour Italian food. As the originator of Western-style food, Italian food is famous for its exquisitely made dishes. It’s elegant, noble, and rich in flavour. Let’s compare it with French food. We all know French food has many different steps in cooking and takes a lot of time for preparation. Conversely, Italian food is quick, simple and tasty. The well-known pizza, pasta, seafood and dessert are worldwide famous.

我wo從cong小xiao就jiu對dui烹peng飪ren非fei常chang感gan興xing趣qu，年nian輕qing時shi喜xi歡huan在zai廚chu房fang裏li實shi驗yan做zuo飯fan。我wo在zai學xue校xiao學xue過guo化hua學xue，發fa現xian化hua學xue和he烹peng飪ren都dou是shi把ba不bu同tong的de東dong西xi攪jiao合he在zai一yi起qi
，製zhi造zao出chu令ling人ren驚jing訝ya的de效xiao果guo。烹peng飪ren使shi我wo年nian輕qing。我wo曾zeng在zai意yi大da利li與yu荷he蘭lan等deng國guo家jia當dang意yi大da利li菜cai主zhu廚chu。我wo不bu會hui放fang棄qi對dui意yi大da利li菜cai已yi延yan續xu了le 15年的研究
，因為這是件你永遠都不會說“我什麼都懂”的de事shi。我wo還hai希xi望wang一yi輩bei子zi都dou能neng以yi烹peng飪ren為wei業ye，因yin為wei它ta使shi我wo每mei天tian都dou堅jian持chi學xue習xi新xin東dong西xi，幫bang助zhu我wo在zai廚chu藝yi上shang精jing益yi求qiu精jing。在zai各ge式shi各ge樣yang的de西xi餐can中zhong，我wo對dui意yi大da利li菜cai情qing有you獨du鍾zhong。作zuo為wei西xi餐can之zhi源yuan
，意yi大da利li菜cai以yi精jing製zhi菜cai肴yao著zhu稱cheng。它ta典dian雅ya、高(gao)貴(gui)且(qie)味(wei)道(dao)濃(nong)重(zhong)。讓(rang)我(wo)們(men)將(jiang)它(ta)與(yu)法(fa)國(guo)菜(cai)進(jin)行(xing)比(bi)較(jiao)。我(wo)們(men)都(dou)知(zhi)道(dao)法(fa)國(guo)菜(cai)烹(peng)調(tiao)時(shi)要(yao)分(fen)許(xu)多(duo)不(bu)同(tong)的(de)步(bu)驟(zhou)，準(zhun)備(bei)時(shi)要(yao)花(hua)很(hen)多(duo)時(shi)間(jian)。相(xiang)反(fan)
，意(yi)大(da)利(li)菜(cai)快(kuai)捷(jie)、簡單而味美。大家耳熟能詳的比薩餅、意大利麵
、海鮮和甜品都馳名世界。