Gaziantep prepares to host Türkiye’s global cuisine diplomacy summit
Ancient crossroads city known for baklava, mosaics, and spice bazaars to become showcase for Türkiye’s emerging gastrodiplomacy model
By Iftikhar Gilani
GAZIANTEP, Türkiye (MNTV) — In ancient southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep, where copper craftsmen still hammer trays by hand, and the aroma of pistachio baklava drifts through centuries-old bazaars, Türkiye is preparing to launch an ambitious culinary diplomacy initiative aimed at turning food into a tool of global influence.
Officials, chefs, academics, and media representatives are set to gather Thursday and Friday in Gaziantep for a two-day summit titled “Türkiye’s Gastrodiplomacy Model: Table and Heritage,” part of the country’s broader effort to use cuisine as a strategic instrument of cultural diplomacy and soft power.
The event will take place during Turkish Cuisine Week, celebrated annually between May 21 and 27 since 2022 under the auspices of the Turkish presidency and coordinated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
For organizers, Gaziantep is not merely a host city. It is central to the message Türkiye wants to send to the world.
Located near the Syrian border, Gaziantep, historically known as Antep, has for centuries stood at the crossroads of Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and the eastern Mediterranean.
The city was an important stop along ancient trade routes connecting the Arab world, Persia, and Anatolia, helping shape a multicultural identity reflected in both its architecture and cuisine.
Today, Gaziantep is widely regarded as Türkiye’s culinary capital and one of the Middle East’s most celebrated food cities. UNESCO designated it a “Creative City of Gastronomy” in 2015, recognizing its deep-rooted culinary traditions and rich gastronomic heritage.
The city is internationally famous for dishes such as baklava, kebabs, beyran soup, lahmacun, and katmer pastry, while its pistachios are considered among the finest in the region. Gaziantep baklava also became the first Turkish product to receive protected geographical indication status in the European Union.
But officials say the upcoming summit seeks to present Turkish cuisine as something far deeper than food alone.
“Turkish cuisine is not only among the world’s most deeply rooted and rich culinary traditions, but also represents far more than a collection of flavors,” the organizers wrote in the concept note prepared for the event. “It embodies a powerful table culture and a cultural heritage passed down from generation to generation.”
Summit begins on Thursday
The summit will open Thursday morning at the Panorama 25 December Gaziantep Defense Heroism Museum with speeches by Gaziantep Deputy Mayor Halil Uğur and Governor Kemal Çeber, along with video messages from Head of Communications Prof. Dr. Burhanettin Duran and First Lady Emine Erdoğan.
A major panel titled “Gastrodiplomacy in Gaziantep: Table and Heritage” will bring together culinary historians, chefs, gastronomy scholars, and food writers to discuss how Turkish cuisine can become a stronger instrument of international communication.
Among the scheduled speakers are fourth-generation baklava and kebab master Burhan Çağdaş, gastronomy writer Özden Mermer Özsabuncuoğlu, and chef Cuma Kaplan from the Gaziantep Culinary Arts Center.
The summit’s broader objective is to formulate what officials describe as a uniquely Turkish “gastrodiplomacy model.”
“Türkiye has therefore transformed gastrodiplomacy into one of its most significant soft power instruments by integrating its deep-rooted cultural and civilizational heritage with its gastronomic identity,” the concept note stated.
According to the document, Turkish cuisine reflects a historical continuity stretching “from Central Asia to Anatolia, and from the Seljuk era to the Ottoman Empire,” shaped over centuries through interaction with “the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean basin.”
That multicultural heritage is visible across Gaziantep itself.
Inside the city’s historic Bakırcılar Çarşısı, or Coppersmiths Bazaar, artisans continue centuries-old traditions while nearby spice markets overflow with dried peppers, pistachios, and regional herbs. Stone caravanserais and Ottoman-era inns still line the narrow streets around Gaziantep Castle, one of the city’s best-known landmarks.
Visitors attending the summit are also expected to tour several of Gaziantep’s major cultural attractions, including the world-renowned Zeugma Mosaic Museum, which houses Roman-era mosaics rescued from the ancient city of Zeugma near the Euphrates River.
Among its most famous pieces is the “Gypsy Girl” mosaic, now considered one of Türkiye’s iconic archaeological treasures.
The summit itinerary additionally includes visits to the Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum, tasting sessions for traditional katmer dessert and menengiç coffee, and guided tours through Gaziantep’s historic districts and bazaars.
Turkish table
Organizers say these activities are designed to demonstrate how food, history and collective memory intersect in Turkish culture.
“The Turkish table goes beyond meeting daily nutritional needs,” the concept paper noted. “It serves as a distinguished cultural sphere where the traditions of sharing, hospitality, family and social bonds, ancient rituals, and collective memory are transmitted across generations.”
Beyond panel discussions, the summit will feature workshops on cooperation mechanisms between municipalities, tourism institutions, universities, chefs and media organizations.
The event will also host nearly 30 Turkish and foreign journalists and social media content creators as part of Türkiye’s effort to increase the global visibility of Turkish cuisine.
The Directorate of Communications, which coordinates Türkiye’s gastrodiplomacy initiatives and serves as the secretariat of the National Gastrodiplomacy Committee, says the long-term goal is to institutionalize gastronomy as a component of public diplomacy and nation branding.
The concept note states that the initiative aims to “institutionalize gastronomy as a strategic communication tool integrated with public diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, and sustainable development goals.”
It also seeks to create “a uniquely Turkish ‘Gastrodiplomacy Model’ in both theoretical and practical dimensions.”
As countries increasingly compete through culture, tourism, and international image, Turkish officials believe cuisine can become a diplomatic language capable of building global connections beyond politics.
And in Gaziantep, where history and food have shaped daily life for centuries, Türkiye believes it has found the ideal city to present that message to the world.
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