Seminar on the Future of Food and Sustainability - Air, Water, Soil

The Friends of the Kitchen Association Celebrated Its 35th Anniversary with the Seminar “Anatolia’s Gastronomic Heritage and Its Global Traces” The Friends of the Kitchen Association continued its “Future of Food” series, launched in 2023, with a seminar titled “Anatolia’s Gastronomic Heritage and Universal Traces,” organized specifically for the Association’s 35th anniversary. The Friends of the Kitchen Association, Turkey’s longest-standing civil society organization in the field of gastronomy, held the “Anatolia’s Gastronomic Heritage and Universal Traces” seminar on June 13, 2026, at the Nadir Gastronomy Platform. Planned with a special theme to mark the association’s 35th anniversary, this year’s seminar focused on the contributions of Anatolia’s rich gastronomic heritage to world cuisine. From the birth of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent to viticulture, olive and olive oil production in Anatolia, the impact of biodiversity on gastronomy, the riches of the field of archaeogastronomy, culinary techniques unique to Anatolia, and the Mediterranean dietary tradition—the sessions aimed to raise awareness of the universal imprint that Anatolia’s gastronomic heritage has left on global gastronomy and to contribute to the transmission of this heritage to future generations. With a sense of responsibility to raise public awareness about food safety and the future of gastronomy, Esin Sungur, President of the Friends of the Kitchen Association, stated in her opening remarks that they were delighted to host the fourth installment of the “Future of Food” seminar series, which they launched in 2023. “This year, in honor of our association’s 35th anniversary, we have prepared a program that serves as a tribute to Anatolia’s gastronomic heritage. Agricultural production in Anatolia—where different civilizations and cultures have intersected for thousands of years— along with the dishes prepared there and food-related techniques, constitute a valuable part of our collective memory and cultural heritage. As Friends of the Kitchen, by creating a multifaceted platform for sharing—spanning from government institutions to academia, and from civil society to producers and researchers—we aim both to contribute to the preservation of our local heritage and its transmission to future generations, as well as to inspire sustainable food practices,” he said, and thanked the Nadir Gastronomy Platform, which hosted the event, and the product sponsor, Ingredy App. From the Birth of Agriculture to Endemic Plants, Anatolia Seminars included “The Birth and Impacts of Agriculture in the Fertile Crescent” and “Anatolia: The Birthplace of Viticulture”; “Unique Grapes and Winemaking,” “The Origins of the Olive and the Olive Oil Civilization,” “Anatolia’s Heirloom Seeds and Inventory of Endemic Plants,” “Techniques Unique to Anatolia: Fermentation, Drying, and Preservation,” Archaeogastronomy: Ancient Cuisine in Anatolia and A Source of Health: The Mediterranean Diet featured distinguished speakers. In order: Prof. Dr. Gökhan Özertan (Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at Özyeğin University), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Uhri (Researcher in Agroarcheology Researcher), İnci Aylin Gezgüç (Founder of the Etki Çemberleri Foundation), Prof. Dr. Rahmi Ertan Anlı (Food Engineer), Levon Bağış (Wine Educator), Murat Yankı (Wine Historian, Author), Dr. Ertuğrul Arda (Director of the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute), Dr. Erdinç Oğur (Aegean Agricultural Research Institute, Biodiversity and Endemic Plants Specialist), Berker Çiftçi (Founder of the Seed Bank Association), Tangör Tan (Agricultural Engineer & Gastronomist), Prof. Dr. Oya Berkay Karaca (Head of the Department of Culinary Arts), Dilara Koçak Aslanoba (Nutritionist), Zeynep Pınar Taşdemir (Chef), Prof. Dr. Çetin Şenkul (Chair of the Department of Physical Geography, Marmara University), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Levent Köstem (Founder of the Köstem Olive Oil Museum), Dr. Neslihan Uzun (Olive Cultivation Research Institute), Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu (Professor, Department of Archaeology, Ankara University), Prof. Dr. Rana Özbal (Professor, Department of Archaeology and Art History, Koç University), Dr. Fatih Tatari (Professor, Department of Anthropology, Hacettepe University), Begüm Yaramancı (Artisan Turşucu, Author, Educator), and Nazlı Pişkin (Food Culture Writer, Mediterranean Historian) shared their knowledge and experiences. As a key outcome of the seminar, the importance of coming together and working in solidarity on multivoiced and sustainable platforms—such as the “Future of Food” platform—was emphasized in preserving local values and gastronomic heritage. The sessions can also be viewed on the Friends of the Kitchen Association’s YouTube channel.