Cultural capital.

The article discusses the shift from high art to fine dining as a prominent signifier of cultural sophistication. It explores how cultural capital, which encompasses knowledge, tastes, and habits that distinguish individuals within a particular social class, is now expressed and accumulated through the culinary landscape. The article highlights the rise of avant-garde restaurants and the importance of research and knowledge in understanding complicated dishes and ingredients. It also touches on the role of critics in elevating chefs to a status akin to artists. [Extracted from the article]