Gaziantep hosts gastronomy heritage workshop for youth

GAZIANTEP

A new initiative, “Ancestral Heritage in the Kitchen,” has recently been launched at a youth center in the southern province of Gaziantep, Türkiye’s leading gastronomic city, fostering an appreciation for diverse cultures and local cuisine in young people.

The workshop, which began two months ago at Şahinbey Youth Center, saw participation from 50 young people aged 18-25, including university students and youth center volunteers.

Medine Rukiye Şahan, the youth leader at the center, highlighted the workshop’s role in enhancing the culinary skills of young people.

“Gaziantep is the capital of gastronomy, and our youth are talented in that sense. We aim for them to both socialize and transfer their skills to their peers. We also aim to reflect our culture without losing the essence of our traditional dishes in a world that is turning to fast food,” Şahan said.

The workshop attracted university students from various cities, who brought the culinary values of their cultures to Gaziantep.

“These young people reflect the culinary values of their own cultures to us. They will also learn the culinary values in Gaziantep and carry them to their own cities,” Şahan emphasized.

Expanding the project, a second workshop was also held in the western city of İzmir at the Alsancak Youth Center.

“We learned that İzmir also has a gastronomy workshop. We wanted to be a stakeholder to benefit from that kitchen. Since İzmir is geographically very far from Gaziantep, the blending of different cultures would serve the purpose of our project more effectively," Şahan explained.

Ali Kurtuluş, a gastronomy student, noted that the project attracted his attention because of its orientation toward tradition amid a growing trend toward tradition.

“I have always had a love for gastronomy. I want to advance myself in this field by gaining experience. My idol is my mother, who is also a cook from Gaziantep. I have instilled in myself her love for the kitchen and the flavor of her dishes,” said Meral Kaplan, a youth center volunteer, sharing her experience.