Turkish traditional cuisine showcased in South Africa for Turkish Cuisine Week

‘The food was delicious and looked like really top of the class,’ former South African first lady Gugu Motlanthe tells Anadolu

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG(AA) - The Turkish Embassy in Pretoria and the Yunus Emre Institute served traditional Turkish cuisine Friday to guests as part of international celebrations of the Turkish Cuisine Week.

Ambassador Aysegul Kandas told Anadolu that the embassy held a Turkish cuisine master class for guests before serving them delicious dishes from Türkiye's western Aegean region.

“The food was delicious and looked like really top of the class. We had a great morning and learned about Turkish cuisine,” former South African first lady Gugu Motlanthe told Anadolu.

Motlanthe, who was the chief guest at the event at the Defy showroom in Midrand, near Pretoria, said she was happy with the theme which is aimed at promoting cultural heritage, sustainability and zero waste.

Kandas said the embassy invited celebrated Turkish chef Tayfun Aras, who had a restaurant in Cape Town, to conduct the master chef class, which impressed the guests. She said there is growing interest among South Africans for Turkish cuisine.

“Our Turkish cuisine week began on Thursday when we were hosted on a TV show. Today we host a master chef class for our cuisine and on Saturday I will be hosting female diplomats at the Turkish residency in Pretoria,” she said.

“I’m impressed the dishes were very good,” said Marion Smith, a South African travel blogger who has visited Turkiye more than 30 times.

Turkiye has been promoting its local dishes in events held across South Africa and all its missions abroad during Turkish Cuisine Week, held for the second time this year towards the end of May.

Abdulaziz Yigit, director of the Yunus Emre Institute in Johannesburg, said Turkish Cuisine Week is organized under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

He thanked Aras for participating and all the guests.

Yiglit told Anadolu that Turkish food and culture have started becoming popular in the African nation.

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