A two-week program to upskill Pakistani chefs in preparing diverse meals from Turkish cuisine organized by the state-run Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) concluded with the certification program in the port city of Karachi Thursday.

The "Turkish Cuisine Training Program" organized by TIKA in collaboration with the Pakistan Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (PITHM) was attended by dozens of young Pakistani chefs and students, a statement from TIKA said.

Turkish chefs taught the participants how to prepare 10 menus and 40 dishes, from lentil soup to yogurt soup and from Turkish kebabs to desserts.

The program ended with a certification ceremony which was attended by Sindh Culture Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah and the Turkish Consul General in Karachi, Cemal Sangu.

Speaking at the ceremony, Shah hailed TIKA for bringing Turkish flavors to Pakistan through the training program. He said this would further add to the popularity of Turkish cuisine in Pakistan.

In his remarks, the Turkish Consul General said that TIKA has been involved in several relief activities across Pakistan, which shows the value of bonding with the South Asian country.

TIKA's Karachi Coordinator Halil Ibrahim Başaran said that apart from relief activities, the agency is also working to increase cultural interaction between the two countries.

Başaran said TIKA’s cooperation with PITHM would continue, and in the second stage, it will support programs that will promote Pakistani cuisine in Türkiye.

Later, Shah and Sangu presented certificates to 50 participants of the training program.

Turkish cuisine prepared by Pakistani chefs was also presented to the guests who visited the institute's kitchen, which was also equipped by TIKA.