The annual Turkish Cuisine Week, now in its third year, was hosted for the first time in Rwanda on Thursday, May 23. The event was organized by the representatives of the Republic of Türkiye in Rwanda, at the Ambassador’s residence in Kigali.
From May 21 to 27, this week-long celebration highlights the rich and diverse flavors of Turkish cuisine, shaped by over 1,000 years of culture, traditions, social heritage, and stories. The events are held under the auspices of Emine Erdoğan, the First Lady of Türkiye.
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Türkiye's Ambassador to Rwanda, Aslan Alper Yüksel, emphasized the unique aspects of this year's celebration: "Throughout Turkish Cuisine Week, we are highlighting the delicious, healthy, traditional, and waste-free recipes of sustainable Turkish cuisine through TurkAegean-style menus.
"These menus showcase the fusion of our country's history, culture, and nature. Türkiye’s Aegean coast is renowned for itsbeautiful scenery and deep-rooted history, as well as its healthy food culture, and in 2010, UNESCO recognized the Mediterranean diet as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”
Türkiye's Aegean region, located in western Türkiye and bordered by the Aegean Sea to the west, is known for its unique culinary traditions. It is one of Türkiye's seven geographical regions, bordered by the Marmara Region to the north, the Central Anatolia Region to the east, and the Mediterranean Region to the south.
Among the four coastal regions, the Aegean region has the longest coastline, featuring ancient ruins, beaches, seasidevillages adorned with bougainvillea, and a laid-backatmosphere.
"The main theme of this year is zero waste and sustainabilityin food,” explained Hamza Aybar, the Third Secretary at the Embassy of Türkiye in Rwanda. "These are important messages globally, and we are promoting these values along with traditional Turkish cuisine.”
The Aegean region is known for its centuries-old olive trees and healthy olive oils. According to chef Anıl Semiz, "Olive oil keeps the natural taste of food and is very healthy due to its enzymes and acid percentages.”
The Turk Aegean menu presented at the event featured recipes symbolizing the region's abundance of a healthy, sustainable, Mediterranean-style diet. Dishes included Aegean olives and cheeses, mücver (zucchini fritters), green beans with olive oil, stuffed peppers with olive oil and İzmir-style meatballs.
Turkish cuisine is a rich gastronomic tradition that emphasizeshigh-quality, natural ingredients and a variety of storage andcooking techniques, providing numerous options for vegetarian and vegan diets. The country boasts over 2,200 products registered with the Turkish Patent Institute, many of which hold designations of origin, and geographical indications, or are recognized as traditional specialty-guaranteed products.