The role of cooking in consumers' quality formation: An exploratory study of beef steaks.

The role of cooking on pre- and post-consumption quality expectations and its impact on satisfaction during the eating experience is under-researched. To address this gap, a 'task and talk' focus group study involving participants preparing and eating a beef steak as part of a meal was designed to explore the role of cooking on consumers' evaluation of beef quality. The results from six focus groups (n = 36 participants) identified that 'perceived cooking quality' of beef is an important criterion impacting pre-purchase evaluation.