Turkish food and culture promoted in South Africa as part of Turkish cuisine week

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - The Turkish embassy in capital Pretoria has offered free breakfasts and meals to several South Africans who wish to taste Turkish traditional dishes as part of the Turkish Cuisine Week.

First Counsellor Yekta Noyan said they have held a series of events promoting Turkish foods in different parts of Gauteng province (which includes Pretoria and Johannesburg).

“Our Turkish Cuisine week started with offering Turkish Breakfast at the Ya Bana village. We fed 60 orphans and they were very excited,’’ Noyan told Anadolu Agency in an interview.

Turkiye has been promoting its local dishes in a series of events held across the country and all its missions abroad during the Turkish Cuisine Week, held for the first time this year from May 21-27.

Turkish Cuisine Week is organized under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The Turkish embassy chef and top local restaurant Wood& Fire worked together Saturday to offer a fine dining experience of Turkish dishes at a cost of 495 South African Rands ($ 32) to diplomats, locals, expatriate community and journalists living in Pretoria.

“We expect the restaurant to add our main dish "Hünkar Beğendi" (Sultan's Delight) to its menu after this event,’’ The Turkish diplomat said.

Those who tasted some of the cuisines said they were delicious. “I loved the breakfast. It was top class,’’ said a Pretoria resident.

Turkish food and culture has been trending in parts of South Africa especially among people of Asian and Middle Eastern origin.

Indigenous South Africans too have been hooked on to Turkish culture especially by watching Turkish soaps broadcast on local television.

There was also a big attendance to the "Master Chef"-like event held this month at Capsicum Culinary Institute in Johannesburg.

The chef of the Turkish Residence gave a cooking class based on a full-course menu. The class with a big audience of mostly South Africans and foreign diplomats and was streamed live on local media.

The last event of the Turkish Cuisine week will take place at the residence of the Turkish ambassador this weekend.

Turkish Breakfast coupled with live music and art exhibition will be part of the event. The invitees will be women ambassadors in Pretoria, South African government officials and some Non-Governmental Organizations.