With the Taste Point project carried out by the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), these addresses in different districts of the city and the details of the preparation of the dishes are introduced. So, what flavors are there in Istanbul cuisine? Chefs talked about the flavors of the city at Biz Istanbul Restaurant, where the gastronomy program of the Istanbul Culture Road Festival was opened. Vedat Başaran, who said, “Tables are not enough to describe Istanbul cuisine,” and the hosts also revealed the almost forgotten recipes of the city.
TASTES OF DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIES ON THE ISTANBUL TABLE
The host of the gastronomy program was Michelin Bib Gourmand award-winning Chef Vedat Başaran. Michelin star chefs Maksut Aşkar and Emre Şen, food culture historian Prof. Özge Samancı, food culture writer Aylin Öney Tan, academician and food culture writer Kübra Yüzüncüyıl and content producer Oğuz Yenihayat also hosted the gastronomy routes of Istanbul and contributed to the city's taste discovery.
Michelin Bib Gourmand Award-winning Chef Vedat Başaran was the host of the Fatih district leg of the program, while Chef Emre İnanır, Chef Tahir Özkorkmaz, Economy Writer Zeynep Aktaş and Gastronomy Writer İpek İzci Güloğlu were among the guest names. The Beyoğlu route was hosted by Michelin Star Chef Maksut Aşkar and hosted by TV Programmer Buse Yıldırım and Chef Esen Hünal. Taste stops extending from Beşiktaş to Yeniköy were discovered, hosted by Content Producer Oğuz Yenihayat, accompanied by chef Yaren Çapar and Chef Aras Çetin.
The host of the Kadıköy route is Food Culture and Historian Prof. Özge Samancı, Culinary Culture Writer Zeynep Kakınç, Michelin Star Chef Serkan Aksoy, Gastronomy Writer Reha Tartıcı and Food Culture Writer Aylin Öney Tan were among the guest names. Michelin Star Chef Emre Şen was the host of the Kanlıca, Beykoz and Şile legs of the program. Photographer Çiler Geç, Travel Writer Bahar Akıncı, Beverage Consultant Alp Açık and Chef Kaan Kayhan were the guests.
The Historic Peninsula was discovered by Michelin Bib Gourmand Award-winning Chef Vedat Başaran, hosted by Chef Vedat Demir and Journalist and Gastronomy Writer İpek İzci Güloğlu. Istanbul Pudding Makers, hosted by Academician and Food Culture Writer Kübra Yüzüncüyıl and Food Culture Writer Aylin Öney Tan; It was discovered under the hospitality of Chef Mevlüt Özkaya, who is on the Michelin Recommended List, Journalist and Economy Writer Zeynep Aktaş, and Chef Sinem Özler, who is on the Michelin Recommended List.
From pot dishes of tradesmen restaurants to kebabs, doner kebabs and meatballs; The diversity ranging from offal dishes to olive oil dishes, pastries and ravioli explained the breadth of the Istanbul table. The mastery in the preparation of daily life tastes such as coffee, pickles, boza and yoghurt and milk desserts was also the focus of the program. Muhallebi makers were evaluated not only for their products, but also for their old production tools, shop layouts and the role they played as a place for conversation and meeting in the life of the neighborhood.
“TABLES ARE NOT ENOUGH TO EXPLAIN THE ISTANBUL CUISINE”
Chef Vedat Başaran defined Istanbul as a center where the products, dishes and cooking techniques of a wide geography come together. Associating the richness of the city's culinary culture with the coexistence of different communities and the tradition of palace cuisine that has developed over centuries, Başaran said, "Tables are not enough to describe the cuisine of Istanbul."
Recommending those who come to Istanbul for the first time to explore the streets and visit the artisan restaurants recommended by the guides, Başaran said that you can start the day with an Istanbul simit, choose artisan restaurants for lunch, and seafood restaurants on the Bosphorus or establishments serving meat dishes in the evening. He emphasized that the unique food habits of the districts are also a part of this experience.
Başaran's suggestions from the Istanbul table included seasoned leg soup, stuffed vine leaves with meat, stuffed peppers with meat in the oven, and sea bass in paper. Stating that the Flavor Point project creates awareness for both consumers and producers, Başaran said that registering businesses and products is important for the protection of culinary culture. Stating that the project also contributes to budding chefs and managers, he said, "Because the best education is experience."
Bluefish, Simit and Milky Desserts Describe ISTANBUL'S TASTE LINES
Food culture historian Prof. Özge Samancı recommended the seasonal grilled bluefish, crispy bagels from the stone oven, and Kazandibi with chicken breast to those coming to Istanbul. Samancı said that blue fish is one of the delicacies symbolizing the Bosphorus and stated that simit, along with tea or ayran, has an important place in the daily life of the city. He explained that Tavukgöğsü and Kazandibi are unique flavors that remind us of the old pudding shops of Istanbul.
Defining Istanbul cuisine as a food culture that developed from the Ottoman palace and mansion cuisines and enriched with the different communities of the city, Prof. Özge Samancı stated that this knowledge continues to live in written cookbooks and in the hands of masters. Samancı draws attention to the light sweetness and cinnamon flavor in Istanbul style olive oil stuffing; He said that rice pilaf, seasonal lamb, meat and vegetable dishes and desserts also form the character of this cuisine.
Samancı emphasized that although the city hosts a wide variety of dishes, the unique identity of Istanbul cuisine should also be preserved. Pointing out the importance of tradesman restaurants, pudding makers and Istanbul-style dishes being recognized by both visitors and Istanbulites, he stated that the Lezzet Point project is an important step supporting gastronomy tourism.
THE FISHING TRADITION THAT STARTED IN 1941 LIVES WITH SMOKED SALMON
Eyüp Ahmet Yazgüneş, the third generation manager of Reşat Fish Market, continues the fishing tradition of the business founded by his grandfather in 1941. Stating that the most preferred product in the business is the smoked salmon sandwich, Yazgüneş explained the details of the preparation of this delicacy.
Yazgüneş said that they first filleted the salmon, lightly salted it and then dried it, adding that the fish were then smoked with oak sawdust in the smokehouse. He stated that they take care to prepare the product with as little salt as possible.
Recommending kebabs, Turkish delight and smoked salmon sandwiches to those who come to Istanbul, Yazgüneş said that the Armenian and Greek communities living in the city also add color to Istanbul's cuisine. Evaluating the Taste Point Project as an important support for small tradesmen, Yazgüneş explained that there are people who have not yet discovered the business despite having been fishing for many years, and that he expects to reach more visitors thanks to the project.
THE ADDRESS THAT HAS KEEPING THE TRADITION OF PUDDING ALIVE SINCE 1952
Yunus Türkücü, the third generation manager of Kıztaşı Muhallebicisi, has been continuing the family tradition that has been going on since 1952, at the helm of the business for nearly 20 years. Türkücü, who recommended fish and bread followed by milk desserts and baklava to those who come to Istanbul for the first time, stated that the coexistence of different cultures is reflected in the city's dishes and desserts.
Explaining that among the prominent desserts of the business are chicken breast and cauldron, as well as almond keşkül, pistachio pudding and mastic pudding, Türkücü said that they have continued to serve their customers by increasing their product variety in the last 10 years.
Türkücü stated that they found it valuable to introduce these flavors to the world through the festival held under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
THE STORY OF FOUR GENERATIONS OF DRIED BEANS FROM A WHEELBarrow TO A COPPER BOTTLE
Gökhan Güzel, the fourth generation manager of Kurufasulyeci Ali Baba, explained that the story of the family business started with a wheelbarrow in Şehzadebaşı in 1924. Stating that they source the ingredients of the company's most well-known dish, beans, from different cities, Güzel said that the beans come from Erzincan, the spices come from Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, and the pepper that adds flavor to the dish comes from Bilecik. Güzel said that they cooked the beans in a copper cauldron and let them rest over a coal fire after cooking on the stove, and drew attention to the importance of the copper cauldron in the taste of the food.
Stating that different flavors of Anatolia can be enjoyed in Istanbul, Güzel suggested visitors a short Bosphorus tour accompanied by bagels and ayran, followed by fish, bread and beans. He stated that the Taste Point Project contributes to the promotion of businesses to larger audiences through social media and television.
MORE THAN 200 STOPS ON THE TASTE MAP OF ISTANBUL
The festival's gastronomy route offers visitors to Istanbul a guide to plan their own taste discoveries. Business stories that have been maintained for generations, as evaluated by chefs and food culture researchers, provide the opportunity to get to know the culinary heritage of these addresses closely.
