Bulgarian chefs showcase cuisine at Edirne Gastronomy Festival

Two Bulgarian chefs, Andonia Filumena Tsarvenkova and Turkan Turker, are representing Bulgaria at an international competition held as part of the programme of the Third Gastronomy Festival in Edirne, Türkiye.

This year’s edition focuses on white cheese, which is considered one of Edirne’s gastronomic symbols, along with fried liver, CE Report quotes BTA.

More than 45 chefs from Türkiye and the Balkan countries are taking part, presenting authentic recipes and demonstrating the combination of Balkan cuisine with dairy products.

“Together with Chef Andonia Filumena Tsarvenkova, we represented Bulgaria by demonstrating the preparation of the traditional Bulgarian dish - baked cheese in a clay cooking pot, with Bulgarian white brined cheese as the main ingredient,” Turkan Turker told.

The demonstration by the Bulgarian chefs attracted great interest among the official guests, including representatives of the Edirne Governor’s Office and the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Edirne, as well as among the many visitors who had travelled from Türkiye and abroad specifically for the event, according to the Edirne-based online publication Batı Ekspres.

Chef Andonia Filumena Tsarvenkova, one of the rising stars of Bulgarian cuisine, won fourth place this month at the International Village of Gastronomy competition, which was held in Paris.

Turkan Tüuker is from Sofia and is the chairwoman of the Bulgarian-Turkish Women’s Business Club. At the initiative of the club, Bulgarian cuisine was showcased at a special evening in the Turkish resort town of Cesme last month under the theme “Two Cultures, One Table: An Evening of Turkish-Bulgarian Gastronomy and Friendship.” Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Ankara, Angel Cholakov, also took part in the event.

The Bulgarian participants also joined in arranging the 150-meter-long cheese table, prepared for more than 2,000 guests and visitors to the festival.

The highlight was the cheese baklava, a new culinary delicacy specially prepared for the festival using Edirne white cheese, figs, and Edirne walnuts.

Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer, under whose auspices the culinary festival is being held, said that the 150-meter cheese table is part of Edirne’s preparations to apply for a Guinness World Record, with an application planned for next year.

At the end of the event, the participants who distinguished themselves in the competition are expected to be announced.

Photo: Chat GPT