thumb|Gourmands by [[Krzysztof Lubieniecki, National Museum in Warsaw]]
A gourmand is a person who takes great pleasure and interest in consuming particularly good food and drink.
Etymology
Gourmand was derived from a French word that has different connotations from the similar word gourmet, which emphasizes an individual with a , discerning palate
thumb|[[:fr:Henri Brispot|Henri Brispot's A gourmand]]
An alternative and older usage of the word is to describe a person given to excess in the consumption of food and drink, as a glutton With the evolution in the meaning of (and ) away from gluttony and towards the connoisseur appreciation of good food, French culinary proponents are advocating that the Catholic Church update said list to refer to rather than .
Another alternative use has gained popularity among perfume and cologne designers. In this field, gourmand refers not to a person but to a category of scents related to foods, such as cocoa, apple, and plum.
See also
- Ligue des Gourmands, founded by Auguste Escoffier in 1912
- An epicure or epicurean (lower-case) is one who pursues fine food and other pleasures, sometimes with overtones of excessive refinement; an Epicurean (capitalized) is one who follows Epicureanism, a system of philosophy developed by Epicurus.