Ethnic Soups from Rupea Area (Romania) as Resources for Sustainable Local Development

In Rupea area, in central Romania, Romanians, Saxons, Magyars and Roma people live. Their traditional ethnic cuisines represent intangible cultural heritage resources. a qualitative research based on semi-structured interviews with respondents from all four ethnicities, we identified the dishes, spices tastes considered representative by them through thematic analysis. We compared gastronomic characteristics using doublets of gustemes, Claude Lévi-Strauss’ model, highlighted touristic potential serving soups groups as common package. The comparison similarities due to dependence locals indigenous food resources, but also differences different propensity capitalize spontaneous flora or adopt Austro-Hungarian influences. soups, their differences, are reflections historical status long coexistence Transylvania. capitalization an resource can become source income for local people, contributing strengthening identity sustainable development area. It is supported social entrepreneurship tourism consolidation networks producers. addition, be used quick effective lunch option assisted elderly students busy employees.