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The article discusses ergonyms and their types and functions in the food industry of the Buryat Republic. The main onomastic function of an ergonym, as of a proper name, is nominative-excretory, which, along with the individualization function, determines the range of services that are provided by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. The identification or informative function of ergonyms gives the consumer an idea of what is offered there and what quality the product is. The advertising function of ergonyms is inextricably linked with the informative function and is a market economy tool (IRISH PUB). The security function of the ergonym is associated with the image of the claimed brand and its status (CHURCHILL). The stimulating function positions this food company as a representative of a well-known company being in a certain sense a guarantee of high quality (KFC). The psychological or attractive function of ergonyms is aimed at creating confidence in the offered services that are already known as the consumer market (BURYATIA). Ergonyms in Russian reflect Russian culture and traditions (MASLENITSA, SAMOVAR), most food establishments with national cuisines are presented in Russian (CARAVAN-BASHI, SAMURAI). Ergonyms in foreign languages are addressed primarily to foreign tourists. Their choice is influenced by the affiliation of the given food enterprise to the international (SUBWAY) or the all-Russian food chains (ShashlykoFF). Ergonyms in the Buryat language appeal to the background knowledge of representatives of Buryat ethnic group, which have become common to people of other nationalities living in the Republic of Buryatia (ALTAN GEREL).

The article considers the Chinese cuisine taste characteristics as an integral part of the national gastronomic art. Chinese culinary traditions have been formed for centuries, during which many culinary trends have appeared, thousands of different dishes have been created, differing in a variety of flavors. The number “eight” in Chinese numerology symbolizes prosperity and luck. The symbolism of the number “eight” is also used in Chinese cooking. The fundamental tastes of national cuisine — Eight Immortal Tastes: Hom — Tom, Tim — Sin, Fu — Lot, Heong — Gum. Of these, there are five basic tastes: sour Sin, sweet Tim, bitter Fu, spicy Lot, salty Hom and three minor ones — tasteless (bland) Tom, fragrant Heong, golden Gum. Combining registers of flavors and their complex combination are the main characteristics of authentic Chinese cuisine.

The article examines the linguosemiotic content and functional characteristics of food rituals, which are a symbolic representation of folk beliefs, tra- ditional knowledge and collective experience relevant to this society. The study of the semiotics of gastronomic culture involves the analysis of factors that have influenced the modern cultural context in which certain gastronyms are endowed with symbolic properties. The article gives a classification of symbols by form and content: 1) according to the degree of complexity: simple (egg, noodles) and complex (Fish Ceremony); 2) according to the level of abstraction: concrete (lotus, round gingerbread) — abstract (dragon, phoenix); 3) according to the form of their expression: graphic (hieroglyphs chun lian 春联, chūnlián) — wishes of happiness, well–being before the New Year and subject (flashlight, seeds); 4) auditory — songs and poems dedicated to the Moon Holiday; 5) gestural — the choice of dishes for the festive table; 6) by origin: natural symbols (bamboo, fish) — artificial (yin and yang).

Depending on the functions, the article examines two groups of culinary symbols: mythological (egg — Food of the five virtues) and moral symbols (ducks — happiness). Semiotic studies of gastronomic linguoculture bring us closer to understanding not only the culture of individual peoples, but also the aesthetic universals and psychological constants of humanity.