As part of the "Turkish Cuisine Week," organized to promote the historical and cultural heritage of Turkish cuisine in the U.K., the flavors of the Aegean region were showcased at the residence of Türkiye's Embassy in London.
Under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the "Turkish Cuisine Week" celebrations took place domestically and internationally from May 21 to May 27.
The event was attended by foreign diplomats residing in London and members of the Turkish community.
The event highlighted the delicious and waste-free recipes of Turkish cuisine developed on principles of sustainability and health, along with video presentations showcasing the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions.
As part of the celebrations, a cooking workshop featuring dishes from the Aegean region was organized by Türkiye's Embassy in Vienna and the Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) in Vienna.
The cooking workshop was attended by Türkiye's ambassador to Vienna, Ozan Ceyhun, his wife Azize Ceyhun and Ayşe Yorulmaz, the director of YEE Vienna, along with guests.
Chef Ömer Faruk Bingöl prepared dishes specific to the Aegean region together with diplomatic spouses from various countries stationed in Vienna.
Participants learned to prepare dishes such as Izmir meatballs, sour cherry stuffed vine leaves, lemonade and the dessert "kalburabastı." They also had the opportunity to taste these regional delicacies for the first time.
In Paris, the capital of France, the third edition of the "Turkish Cuisine Week" was celebrated with the introduction of dishes from the Aegean region.
Ambassador Gülnur Aybet, Türkiye's permanent representative to UNESCO, provided insights into the promotional event coordinated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Aybet mentioned that "Turkish Cuisine Week" was initiated three years ago under the auspices of first lady Emine Erdoğan and has since been celebrated worldwide.
Emphasizing the traditional, zero-waste, and healthy aspects of Turkish cuisine, Aybet highlighted the importance of Turkish cuisine on both national and international platforms.
The Turkish Embassy in Havana organized the event to promote the historical and cultural heritage of Turkish cuisine.
Among the guests were representatives from diplomatic missions, hosts of the Cuban television program "World Flavors," editors from the Prensa Latina news agency and members of the Asian Ladies Association (ALA).
Speaking to the Prensa Latina News Agency in Cuba, Ambassador Vehbi Esgel Etensel expressed confidence that Cubans would appreciate the flavors of Aegean cuisine.
Etensel highlighted the national character of Turkish cuisine, noting Emine Erdoğan's principles of "zero waste," "avoiding food waste" and "sharing without waste," advocated by the first lady.
Focused on the Aegean region, Etensel mentioned that the Aegean stands out with its wide range of products, gastronomy and warm climate, with Izmir as its capital. He introduced dishes such as wheat and chickpea cold yogurt soup, "fava," olive oil stuffed grape leaves, Izmir-style meatballs and apricot dessert, among others, as representative of the region's cuisine.
On the first day, a panel-themed "Discovering Turkey, the Friendly Country" was held at the influential cultural institution, Nogal Club. Türkiye's ambassador to Bogota, Beste Pehlivan Sun, highlighted the close friendship between Colombia and Türkiye, emphasizing efforts to strengthen it further. The event also served as a platform to recall significant initiatives like the opening of offices by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Turkish Airlines (THY), the Turkish Maarif Foundation and Anadolu Agency (AA) in Colombia.
At Türkiye's Embassy in Warsaw, in collaboration with the YEE, a variety of Aegean delicacies were presented to guests, including a workshop on making vine leaf rolls. The event was attended by cultural, tourism, gastronomy and press representatives from Poland, resident foreign diplomats and their spouses, as well as members of the Turkish community. The attendees not only indulged in Aegean cuisine but also learned to prepare vine leaf rolls and participated in the workshop.
Additionally, guests were gifted with the "Turkish Cuisine with Century-Old Recipes" book.
Türkiye's Embassy in Sarajevo welcomed journalists, food writers and broadcasters from Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the Turkish Culinary Week celebrations led by Emine Erdoğan. Guests had the opportunity to sample various Aegean dishes such as mint soup, stuffed vine leaves, fresh beans, zucchini fritters, steamed sea bass and fig desserts. Turkish chefs provided insights into Aegean cuisine while presenting the region's offerings.
The event themed "History, Culture, and Nature's Encounter: Turkaegean Delicacies," organized by Şeyma Nur Ulusoy, wife of Türkiye's ambassador to Skopje, Fatih Ulusoy, brought together spouses of ambassadors and guests from various countries in Skopje.
Before the meal, the preparation of one of the beloved dishes from the Aegean region, stuffed grape leaves, was demonstrated. A competition ensued among the guests, judged by a professional jury, with the Chinese ambassador to Skopje's spouse emerging as the winner.
