Bonna’s impact at Sirha revolutionizing culinary porcelain

Ebru Erke

At Sirha, Bonna, a leading Turkish porcelain brand, showcased its growing influence on the global culinary stage. As a key sponsor of the Bocuse d'Or, the brand’s presence highlighted the intersection of innovation and exceptional Turkish craftsmanship

I was in Lyon last week for Sirha, one of the world's leading gastronomic events. It's a place where you can discover products that span every facet of the culinary industry, with brands from all corners of the world. I had the privilege of attending as a guest of Bonna, a porcelain brand. Bonna is a major sponsor of the Bocuse d'Or a gastronomic competition, the centerpiece of Sirha. This means that in a globally watched competition, chefs are using plates crafted and designed in Türkiye. To me, this represents not just a huge honor, but a broader vision. I'll share more about Bonna's story later, but first, I'd like to talk about some of my impressions from Sirha.

While plant-based alternatives are gradually making their way forward, it seems the reign of charcuterie will stay strong for many more years. Indeed, the event was packed with massive, processed cuts and an array of cured meats. Collaborations established with renowned chefs on ready-made products, particularly sauces, have greatly improved. With shrimp carpaccios and daring sauces crafted by three-Michelin-star chefs, it's now possible to serve dishes at a Michelin-star level without extensive culinary expertise.

Another key trend is the rise of the non-alcoholic beverage industry. I witnessed some innovative drinks that had their sugar levels reduced to one-third, incorporated real fruit extracts, and were carbonated with sparkling mineral water. Yuzu, a Japanese citrus, was one of the most popular fruits featured. Additionally, black sesame, commonly used in Japan for ice creams and salad dressings, is also on the rise. At the same time, almost every ready-made sauce brand had developed their own version of "kebab sauce," especially for wraps.

Sirha also hosted two major events over four days: The finals of Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie and the Bocuse d'Or finals. In the patisserie competition, teams spent the day making sugar and chocolate busts while preparing products for the jury to taste. Just like last year, Japan, a country without a strong dessert tradition, came out on top. But after seeing the artistic busts they created, you wouldn't even question why their desserts were so impressive. Meanwhile, France won the Bocuse d'Or.

It was certainly a source of pride for us to see a Turkish brand, Bonna, being used in these competitions. The strategy of the brand is focused on what they can achieve beyond Edirne. Their sales are directed toward the Horeca sector, which includes hotels, restaurants, and cafes. Therefore, their target audience is chefs. Last year, they became the export champion in their field. They are particularly strong in Northern European countries and in Spain, where modern gastronomy has a major influence.

Erbil Aşkan leads the company, while its founder, his father Tahsin Aşkan, remains actively involved in the business. In fact, he was more energetic and passionate than anyone else, spending the entire fair at the booth. He's a true entrepreneur. During his years as a teacher, he and his brother, who graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts with a degree in Painting, ventured into the ceramics business together. But it wasn't just plates and pots — they designed ceramic wedding candies. In 1983, he recalls, "It was a time of change; people had money, but there were no products available." Sales were going well, and in 1985, they introduced a new innovation to the plates used for chocolate presentations in patisseries, making them thinner and shaking up the market with just one product. Then in 1989, they recreated a cook-shaped spoon holder they had received as a gift from America, and it was a hit. This cook spoon holder sold like hotcakes until 1993.

In 1999, they began producing the whitest ceramic in the industry using clay sourced from Ukraine. The product was so successful that they opened their Çayırova factory during the 2001 crisis, a time when many companies were downsizing. They also launched the first square plate, the Carmen series featuring red roses, which quickly sold out, along with their first cream-colored porcelain, developed with foreign consulting. "We sold everything we did differently. We were always focused on how to set ourselves apart in the market," Mr. Tahsin says.

In 2014, with Mr. Erbil joining the business, they decided to enter the Horeca sector, recognizing the lack of innovation and oversaturation in the market. Ten years ago, most people used simple, plain white plates, with only those with a high budget able to afford imported or unique options. Bonna changed that, bringing flair even to neighborhood restaurants. They listened to chefs' needs and created a product with edges that wouldn't "snap." They designed their plates to align with kitchen trends, catering to the growing demand for stylish yet functional tableware in the "casual dining" and "farm to table" concepts.

They now export to over a hundred countries, with a strong presence in Northern Europe and Spain. If you take a look under the plate at any restaurant, there's a good chance it's Bonna. Currently, they produce 2.7 million pieces a month, including at their Birecik factory. In collaboration with Spanish machine manufacturers, they've developed a digital pattern printing machine for plates, enabling them to handle small, customized orders. Indeed, some of the world's top chefs use this Turkish brand. My greatest hope is that our gastronomy becomes as renowned internationally as this brand.

Here are some notable findings from Bonna's industry research in Türkiye:

• The era of standard menus and uniform presentation in the food and beverage industry is now behind us. Restaurants and hotels alike are aiming to stand out by offering unique gastronomic experiences. To do this, they seek to make their customers feel special with elegant, exceptional, and eye-catching porcelain.
• As the dominance of classic white plates gives way to geometric shapes, textured, and colorful designs, chefs have gained more freedom to experiment. The porcelain sector in Türkiye is now seen as a global competitor due to its continuous development.
• Chefs feel that the demand for imported products has shifted to the background. This change is influenced not only by the rising costs of imported goods but also by brands like Bonna, which have transformed the sector with their innovative designs and durability. These brands inspire creativity, pleasure, convenience, and a focus on the food itself, helping to reduce the reliance on imported products.
• Chefs believe the biggest gap in the industry lies not in color or pattern, but in form. There's a need for products that are both asymmetrical and easy to stack.
• Creativity and uniqueness are key motivators for chefs, who also want to make their customers feel special.
• When chefs working at high-end venues see the same brand's products everywhere, they lose the drive to "feel special and make customers feel special" and start seeking more niche, "special design" items. However, the challenge is that many brands are unwilling to produce custom designs outside of large batches of 1,000 to 2,000 pieces.
• There is a clear shortage of "special design" products in the industry, which is a significant need. Chefs enjoy creating stories through their work and feel they can do so more effectively with custom-designed products.

Revolution,