Gaziantep has a strong reputation in all culinary areas and hospitality is a natural way-of life. One of the real treats of the city is its incredible food. The pistachios and thus the baklava are considered to be the best in the world. You won't walk a block without seeing a baklava shop, Gaziantep’s baklavas being officially protected by the EU as an IGP.
The city of Gaziantep has been awarded in 2015 from European Commission EDEN Award on “Local Tourism and Gastronomy” and has been recognize the same year by UNESCO as a Creative City in the field on gastronomy.
Because Gaziantep produces 70% of Turkey's annual output of bulgur, a 2 days festival has been organized in May 2016. The festival promoted bulgur in the best possible way, by letting people eat as much as they could with the display of 101 bulgur dishes.
This is sushi, right? Yes, but with a difference. It's made with bulgur wheat instead of rice.
Since years, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Culinary Arts Training Centre (MUSEM) and Art and Vocational Training Course Centre (GASMEK) provide a support for scientific studies and drive power in the studies such as dissemination and extension of information and transferring Gaziantep food culture to the new generation. Workshops with students and international chefs are organized as well.
5 designated gastronomy cities from UNESCO Creative City Network (Bergen – Norway, Dénia – Spain, Gaziantep – Turkey, Östersund – Sweden, Parma – Italy) come together to respond to the issue of “increasing recruitment and improved skills in Vocational Education Training related to the food value chain.
After years of hard work and wonderful responses from our international members, Délice plans to strengthen the network by extending its global presence.
Délice is seeking cities with a new and innovative approach to food & gastronomy and strong food culture. New members of this exclusive network will have the opportunity to share experiences and best practices worldwide, compare their different approaches, get inspired from each other, create partnerships and stay up to date on the moving trends regarding food & gastronomy.
