Gourmet describes food that is exceptionally high quality, carefully prepared, and often sophisticated or unusual. A gourmet meal might feature ingredients like truffle oil, aged cheeses, or exotic spices, prepared by a skilled chef who pays attention to every detail of flavor, texture, and presentation.

Today, we use it both for the food itself (gourmet chocolate, gourmet pizza) and for people who appreciate fine cooking. A gourmet cook experiments with flavors, sources special ingredients, and turns cooking into an art form.

You'll often see “gourmet” on restaurant menus or in specialty food shops. A gourmet burger might use grass-fed beef, artisan cheese, house-made pickles, and a brioche bun baked that morning. Gourmet foods usually cost more because of the quality ingredients and extra care involved in making them.

The word shouldn't be confused with gourmand, which means someone who loves eating large amounts of food. A gourmet appreciates quality; a gourmand focuses on quantity. You can be both, but they're different ideas.