Turkey is rich for sustainable gastronomy tourism: Culinary expert

Turkey offers a table of abundant resources for sustainable gastronomy tourism, according to a Turkish culinary expert who says authenticity should be preserved to maintain it.

"To make the most of this potential, we should make the preservation of the local gastronomic heritage our focus," Zeynep Kakınç, chair of the Istanbul-based Gastronomic Society of Turkey, told Anadolu Agency.

"It is essential to preserve authenticity both in product production and in transferring local dishes to the future," she said.

Kakınç's remarks came as June 18 marks Sustainable Gastronomy Day. Called by many as "the art of food," gastronomy can also "refer to a style of cooking from a particular region as well as local food and cuisine," according to the U.N.

"Sustainable gastronomy, therefore, means cuisine that takes into account where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown and how it gets to our markets and eventually to our plates," the U.N says.

According to Kakınç, sustainable gastronomy also draws attention to the importance of people consuming local foods.

"It is extremely necessary for us to pay attention to the seasonality principle and to prefer local products to increase the production potential of local producers and to continue their existence," she said.

The expert also stressed the importance of a national awareness campaign on the contribution of sustainable gastronomy to regional and rural development, adding: "In fact, this is a process in which all dynamics are important, from public authorities to farmers, chefs, tourism professionals, and non-governmental organizations."

According to Kakınç, in international promotional activities, communication messages based on sustainable gastronomy should be...