Turkish cuisine takes center stage at COP31

Chef Kasım Şentürk, who reinterprets regional dishes from all seven regions of Anatolia using modern techniques while preserving their traditional character, will present a special menu showcasing the richness of Turkish cuisine to guests visiting Antalya for COP31.

With 43 years of experience in the tourism industry, Şentürk brings traditional recipes from different parts of Anatolia together with modern presentation techniques and art, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

Working to promote Türkiye’s gastronomic culture internationally, Şentürk has hosted diplomats and heads of state visiting Antalya for international events, particularly the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Şentürk continues his work at his restaurant “Ala Akşam,” located within The Land of Legends, part of the Rixos hotel group. He reinterprets regional products from across Türkiye while preserving their distinctive character.

For guests coming to Antalya for COP31, Şentürk is also preparing a special menu featuring products selected from different regions of Anatolia.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Şentürk said they operate with a concept centered on interpreting Anatolian Turkish cuisine.

He said they plan to open their fourth branch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following locations in Türkiye and Kazakhstan, adding that they are working to increase the international recognition of Turkish cuisine.

“We serve our mothers’ and grandmothers’ flavors without changing their character”

Şentürk said they aim to preserve the essence of Turkish cuisine while making it appealing to international tastes.

“Just as international restaurants reflect their own cultures, we are also working on international platforms to represent our culture. That is our story. We serve the flavors of our mothers and grandmothers, adding our skills without changing the character of our culture. We do not alter its essence; we simply make Turkish cuisine more enjoyable. We cater to people from all over the world, particularly from Russia, Europe and the Middle East,” he said.

Şentürk also emphasized the importance of sustainability and a zero-waste approach at his restaurants, saying they prepare products to order whenever possible.

Advance reservations from three countries for COP31

Explaining that preparations were underway for COP31, Şentürk said: “We have already received advance reservations from delegations coming from three countries for COP31. This is very important for us. We are well prepared and will present our regional flavors.”

Şentürk said they create dishes by interpreting flavors from different parts of Türkiye. For example, they serve Trabzon butter with orange, spices, kumquat and lemon as a starter.

He added that their roasted red pepper sauce has also proved very popular.

“We make our bread with Afyon wheat and sourdough, flavored with walnuts and Kayseri-style çemen. We turn artichokes rested in olive oil, along with cooked onions, garlic, olive oil, carrots and orange juice, into a sorbet and transform it into a unique dish with different touches.

“We make an open-style sarma using Türkiye’s famous Tokat vine leaves and serve it with a crispy yogurt cream and onion ash.

“We bake keşkek with chicken stock and let it slowly infuse overnight at a low temperature. We top it with lamb neck or goat meat.

“We make börek with Trabzon’s fatty cheese and baklava pastry sheets and serve it with truffle-infused honey. We create a distinctive experience through touches of regional products.”

“It is wrong to limit Turkish cuisine to kebabs and döner”

Şentürk said they source ingredients from Trabzon, Istanbul, Gaziantep and other cities depending on their regional origin, adding that they have succeeded in doing something difficult without compromising on quality.

For the main course, they slow-cook rib meat for eight hours and serve it with a smooth purée enriched with butter.

“On top, we serve the yogurt dessert that has remained unchanged at our restaurant for six years. It was also served at the NATO Summit. We use natural yogurt and make sorbet from fresh fruits. We use chocolate properly.

“It is not right to limit Turkish cuisine to kebabs, pide or döner. The seven regions offer an incredibly rich gastronomic heritage,” he said.

Photo: Chat GPT