A spicy row has erupted between Türkiye and Germany over what constitutes a doner kebab, with Berlin objecting to a Turkish push for protected status for the iconic snack.
The humble doner, made with thinly sliced meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, originates in Türkiye but is also beloved in Germany after being introduced there by Turkish migrants.
In April, the International Doner Federation (Udofed), based in Türkiye, applied to the European Commission to grant the doner kebab Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status.
From the exact meat and spices to the thickness of the knife used to slice the meat, Udofed wants the definition of the doner to adhere to a strict list of criteria.
If successful, the application would bar businesses in the European Union from using the name doner kebab unless it met the criteria, giving it the same protected status as Italy's buffalo mozzarella or Spain's Serrano ham.
In its application, Udofed hails the doner's origins during the Ottoman Empire, citing a recipe found in manuscripts dating from 1546.
But that has sparked an uproar in Germany, where the doner has become an emblem of the country's large Turkish community, descended from "guest workers" invited under a massive economic program in the 1960s and 70s.
The German capital even claims the doner kebab to be "a Berlin invention."
"It happened in Berlin: Legend has it, Kadir Nurman was the first to put the meat in flatbread in 1972 and invented the version of doner that is so beloved in Germany," according to the city's website.
"The doner belongs to Germany. Everyone should be allowed to decide for themselves how it is prepared and eaten here. There is no need for any guidelines from Ankara," said Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir, whose parents migrated from Türkiye.
Meaty argument
Germany's agriculture ministry viewed Türkiye's application "with astonishment," a spokesperson told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
If this "imprecise" and "contradictory" proposal is accepted by the commission, "the economic consequences for the German gastronomic sector would be enormous," the spokesperson said.
The DEHOGA hotel and catering union also warned of a "lack of clarity and transparency," "difficulties with legal definitions," and "a raft of future disputes."
The German government objected to the Turkish application just before the European deadline.
In Berlin, where the doner has long surpassed the sausage as the convenience snack of choice, Birol Yagci is concerned that the Turkish version only allows beef, lamb or chicken.
"Here, it's different. The traditional recipe is made with veal," the chef at a Turkish restaurant in the city's Kreuzberg district told AFP.
Behind him, two columns of meat glisten on their spits, one ironically made from turkey – the bird – which would also not be allowed under the new definition.
"People eat donors all over the world. Türkiye can't just dictate to others what they should do," said the 50-year-old.
"My customers won't want to eat lamb. It has a very particular taste," said Arif Keles, 39, owner of a doner kiosk, whose customers include Germany's national football team.
Keles, too, said he would sooner change the name of his products than alter his recipes.
"My customers know what they're eating, so as long as the quality is there, it doesn't matter what you call it," he said.
Doner diplomacy
Germany accounts for two-thirds of doner kebab sales in Europe, with the market worth 2.4 billion euros ($2.6 billion) a year, according to the Association of Doner Manufacturers in Europe (ATDID).
In April, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier even took Keles with him on a visit to Türkiye to symbolize the close ties between the two countries.
Keles arrived to serve his wares at an official reception armed with a huge spit of veal, much to the "curiosity" of his guests.
"In Türkiye, doner is eaten on a plate. I served it Berlin-style, on bread with sauce, and they loved it," said the chef, whose grandfather emigrated from Türkiye to Germany.
However, according to the institution's agriculture spokesman, Olof Gill, the European Commission must now decide whether donor diversity will prevail.
If the objection to the Turkish application is found to be admissible, the two parties will have a maximum of six months to reach a compromise, he said.