ICiB GASTRONOMY

“Gastronomy has been the joy of all peoples through the ages,” wrote the French journalist and author Charles Pierre Monselet (1825-88). “It produces beauty and wit and goes hand-in-hand with goodness of heart and consideration of others.”

Food is at the pulsating heart of Turkish culture. Our cuisine is naturally delicious, wonderfully varied, and has marinated for centuries in one of the most fertile culinary geographies in the world, the Ottoman Empire.

That’s why it gets top priority at the activities agenda of Istanbul Centre in Brussels.

With a world famous spice bazaar, simple fish restaurants and gastronomic temples serving cuisine inspired by the Ottoman court, Istanbul is a city where gastronomy amateurs discover paradise. Istanbul’s cuisine represents the culinary tradition of the Ottoman Palace, defined by a past that goes back to the first millennium in Central Asia. Today, we recognize traces of the nomadic culinary culture of the Turks, as well as the influence of medieval Arab, Persian, Seljuk and Byzantine influences in our gastronomic inheritance. Turks have been living for over a thousand years in Anatolia surrounded by the Black Sea, Aegean and the Mediterranean. Istanbul’s culinary arts have been developing for centuries, based on old techniques that were devised through incredible knowledge of the alchemy of essences, flavours, fragrances, aromas and tastes.

At ICiB, a fascinating series of gastronomic events has been specially designed to help you discover, taste, experience and understand what makes Turkish cuisine so different - so desirable, so enjoyable and so central to the whole Turkish experience an culture.

The word “gastronomy” comes from the Greek gastros (stomach) and nomos (knowledge). This means it falls under the second of our Three Pillars – Art, Knowledge and Opinion. The programmes provide a vital “knowledge bridge” that links Turkey’s culture with its unique cuisine.

The demonstrations have been organized with a team of professional gourmets including chefs from Turkey’s famous chef school, MSA (Mutfak Sanatlari Akademisi, the Whirlpool Culinary Arts Academy), the first and only private cooking school certified by Turkey’s Ministry of Education. Their technical expertise and knowledge in food culture will conjure the country’s brilliant culinary arts.

Welcome to Istanbul Food Arena…