AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Ideas & Inspirations AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Ideas & Inspirations

Gastromasa celebrates its fifth year in Istanbul, a leading gastronomy event that brings together world-renowned chefs from around the globe.

November 24 2019
Far from flat AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Far from flat

The landscape of Estonia is an endless stretch of woods dotted with lakes. Being the northernmost of Baltic States, the country is like a bridge between Russia and Finland, reaching towards Sweden

November 17 2019
Exploring Estonia AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Exploring Estonia

On a dim and rainy day late at night strolling in Pärnu, I had little hopes of fine food to admit. The popular beach and spa town in west Estonia can be buzzing with life in summer, but in November, it looked rather deserted. However, the night unfolded surprisingly.

November 11 2019
New and local AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

New and local

“New and local, hence the name Neolokal, is the motto of chef Maksut Aşkar, who is inspired by his mother’s cooking and his native town Antakya in Hatay, a province in the southeast of Turkey, close to the border of Syria. He meticulously deconstructs, recreates, redesigns, and beautifully presents his creations without losing the traditional flavors of his childhood. His plates are highly contemporary, but the tastes are surprisingly authentic.”

November 04 2019
A branch of olive AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

A branch of olive

This olive branch was regarded as a sign of peace representing God’s forgiveness. Since then, olives held a positive, peaceful meaning for all the civilizations of the Mediterranean, where olive trees are part of the natural landscape dotting every hillside in sight. Winner athletes at the Ancient Greece Olympic games were crowned with olive branch wreaths. In ancient Rome, during war, the defeating side would wave a branch of olive oil, pleading for peace. In modern times, the U.N. carries the peace symbol on its blue and white flag, which shows the map of the world encircled in two olive branches.

October 21 2019
Folded, Layered or Twisted AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Folded, Layered or Twisted?

During my recent visit to Eskişehir OMM Museum, the new modern museum designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma & Associates, I have to admit I had a hidden agenda: to taste the famous “çibörek” of the town.

October 13 2019
Fall is for flavor AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Fall is for flavor

I was dragging my feet early in the morning to the local market place with a group of foodies along with me. My eyes half-open, I was not even fully awake. It was a 15-minute walk from our countryside hotel, too long for my pre-breakfast, pre-coffee body after a long night of feasting. When the first stalls started to appear all of a sudden my eyes were wide open. A man was selling morel mushrooms, all in perfect condition. Another lady in our group jumped with joy when she found a long-lost rice variety of her childhood. It was the small almost translucent rice with pink streaks, the one that used to be the favorite of our grandmas. Now I was fully awake and active, scanning every stall to find a hidden treasure.

October 07 2019
Stack of sticks, or more AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Stack of sticks, or more?

Who would say a stack of woods would save the future of a neighborhood? It seems that the Odunpazarı Modern Museum (OMM), designed by the renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma & Associates, will make a change in the fate of the northwestern province of Eskişehir and its Odunpazarı district, thanks to the efforts of businessman Erol Tabanca, a native of the town, and the legendary Mayor Yılmaz Büyükerşen, now running his fifth term.

September 22 2019
Interactive Inspiration AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Interactive Inspiration

It is no secret to Turkish people that Gaziantep is a town known mostly for its delicious dishes. The town was designated as a creative city in the gastronomy category in the UNESCO Creative City Network four years ago, which has put the city on the map of the culinary world.

September 15 2019