Slow food movement reshaping Gaziantep’s gastronomic scene

ISTANBUL (AA) : In a concerted effort to celebrate Turkish Gaziantep’s diverse culinary heritage and champion healthier eating habits, Hasan Kalyoncu University’s (HKU) Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department has spearheaded a groundbreaking project aimed at enhancing global recognition of the region’s gastronomy.

As part of the project, academics, chefs, masters, managers and authors participated in a panel held at a hotel. Speaking at the panel, Furkan Baltacı, the head of the gastronomy department at HKU, noted that the richness of Gaziantep’s cuisine has been the subject of significant academic studies.

Baltacı highlighted Gaziantep has over 500 dishes, pointing out that the city is situated in an area that has been home to multiple cultures and that its cuisine has developed based on their traditions.

Baltacı explained that “slow food” is a movement initiated by Carlo Petrini in the 1980s, advocating for emphasizing local values within global values in contrast to “fast food” consumption.

“Today, we want to introduce our kitchens to this movement, as we believe it will add value to the existing values of Gaziantep. With the project, we aim to highlight the values of the region known as the ‘fertile crescent,’ increase the value of our cuisine in terms of internationalization, and enhance our competitiveness. We want to use Gaziantep cuisine in terms of internationalization and branding, contributing to the global image of Gaziantep with these values,” he said.

Baltacı stated that after providing stakeholders with information about slow food, they will work together to determine a roadmap.

“For instance, slow food has a practice centered around the motherland. Here, we will focus on which of our products should stand out, which ones should be grown more naturally, which products should be cultivated without additives, and how to access cleaner, safer, better food. We will operate with a focus on preserving the health of future generations and reaching healthy individuals,” he added.

Our goal is not to be a structure that follows innovations in shaping Gaziantep gastronomy but to establish a structure that leads innovations. We want to use slow food as a tool,” Baltacı shared.

Abdulkadir Katmerci, the President of the Gaziantep Restaurants, Kebab Shops, Baklava Shops, Dessert Shops and Pastry Shops Chamber, also mentioned that the harms of fast-food habits, heavily consumed for the past 20 years, will have benefits for both the city and humanity.