Kars goose: culinary entrepreneur takes local dish global
Ece Çelik - KARS
Two months ago, the renowned kaz eti (goose meat) of Kars province in Türkiye's Eastern Anatolia region, received official recognition with a geographical indication.
Nuran Özyılmaz, the entrepreneur behind the popular Kars Kaz Evi restaurant, played a pivotal role in this achievement. Transforming a small local eatery into a goose restaurant attracting tourists from around the globe, Özyılmaz stands as one of the key architects of Kars' tourism success.
After facing financial obstacles throughout her life, Özyılmaz opened a small eatery where she shared traditional dishes with her customers. Recognizing the absence of establishments offering local cuisine, this eatery laid the foundation for Kars Kaz Evi. Expanding to a second location within six months, Özyılmaz noticed a growing interest in Kars cuisine.
Describing Kars' affiliation with goose as a fading practice, Özyılmaz recalls: "Since the opening of Kars Kaz Evi, there has been intense interest. Both local and foreign guests, as well as the media, visited our shop to taste goose meat. It became a popular destination from the beginning, drawing attention as the first female entrepreneur in the sector." Pointing out Kars' development as a tourist destination, "the number of local shops increased after mine. Agencies and guides started bringing tourists to my shop to introduce different dishes," she adds.
To meet the increasing demand for goose meat, Özyılmaz identified goose farming families in Kars' villages. Establishing the Goose Farming and Preservation of Breed Association, she trained women in goose farming. Collaborating with the United Nations, they implemented a project for salting and preserving goose meat.
Highlighting the goose meat in Kars is superior in taste and quality, Özyılmaz said, "Goose producers from Hungary visited. I showed them around, and they invited me to Budapest. I observed that goose farming there had become industrialized, like poultry farming. They work day and night, slaughtering geese early. In Kars, we focus on proper breeding and pasture farming to achieve a unique taste."
