Turkish Cuisine Week 2025 Celebrates Culinary Tradition

From May 21 to 27, Turkish Cuisine Week will be celebrated across Turkey and around the world. An annual event that uniquely honors the country’s gastronomic heritage. This year’s fourth edition of the event focuses on classic dishes. Meals that have graced Turkish tables for centuries, preserving authenticity, healthy eating practices, and a deep respect for traditional home values.

A Week in the Spirit of Turkey

Held under the auspices of Turkish institutions and diplomatic missions, Turkish Cuisine Week is an opportunity to bring traditional meals and preparation methods closer to a wider audience. Promoting sustainability, local ingredients, and cultural diversity, the event introduces a new theme each year. In 2025, the spotlight is on timeless classics.

Thanks to traditional recipes and simple techniques, Turkish dishes serve as a bridge between past and present, between home-style cooking and contemporary demands for healthier food. The classic meals featured in this year’s menus reflect the essence of Turkish hospitality and togetherness, often gathering families and friends around richly set tables.

You can discover more culinary highlights here.

Soulful Dishes: From Soups to Desserts

The 2025 Turkish Cuisine Week menu includes iconic dishes that have been staples in Turkish households for generations. Among them are hearty soups such as red lentil and tarhana, the flavorful imambayıldı – eggplant stuffed with onions and tomatoes. As well as the famous mantı – Turkish dumplings praised for their diverse flavors.

The table will also feature karnıyarık (eggplant stuffed with minced meat), various kinds of börek, homemade beans in tomato sauce (kuru fasulye). Dolma – vegetables stuffed with rice or meat, as well as refreshing salads and sides like çoban salata and spiced yogurt. The sweet finale is reserved for desserts such as kazandibi, baklava, and the unique tavuk göğsü. It is a milk pudding made with shredded chicken, notable for its unusual texture and taste.

Regional Diversity on the Plate

Turkey is a country of remarkable culinary variety, and this year’s Turkish Cuisine Week will showcase specialties from all 81 provinces. Differences in climate, geography, and history have shaped numerous variations of the same dishes. For example, olive oil dominates Aegean cuisine, while southeastern regions are known for rich spices and hearty meat dishes.

The Black Sea region offers a wealth of fish-based meals, while Central Anatolia is home to a wide array of breads, pastries, and pasta dishes. These regional interpretations of classic recipes form a culinary atlas that not only delights the palate. But it also tells stories of daily life, local customs, and the transmission of knowledge through generations.

Back to Basics – Respecting Nature and Tradition

Sustainable gastronomy and reverence for nature are central to this year’s theme. Traditional Turkish dishes are not only delicious but also grounded in the use of seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, minimal waste, and mindful food practices. Through this approach, Turkey invites the world to slow down, return to its roots, and embrace the values embedded in its culinary culture.

An Invitation to Explore and Experience

Turkish Cuisine Week is not just about passively enjoying prepared meals. It’s an invitation for both local and international visitors to step into the world of Anatolian flavors. Whether attending themed events, cooking at home using traditional recipes, or learning about the cultural significance of certain dishes, this event inspires and educates at the same time.

For all food lovers, May 21–27 offers a unique opportunity to discover the essence of Turkey’s culinary identity.  Through dishes that are not only delicious, but deeply rooted in the history, emotions, and collective memory of a nation.

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