Turkish Cuisine Week, which is celebrated every year from 21 to 27 May, continues to introduce Turkey's cultural heritage and gastronomic wealth to the international community. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yuce, Communications Advisor at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Tashkent, emphasized that Turkish Cuisine Week is not only a gastronomic event, but also an important component of Turkey's public diplomacy vision. Yuce stated that the events organized under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan have the character of a strategic platform that conveys Turkey's cultural memory, social values and civilizational heritage to the world.
Yuce described the 2026 theme as “Heritage at a Table” as extremely meaningful, saying, “The table is one of the oldest platforms for cultural communication between people. Turkish cuisine is not just about food; it also embodies history, identity, tradition, family structure, and a shared culture of living. Therefore, Turkish Cuisine Week is an important cultural diplomacy tool that strengthens Turkey’s soft power potential.” According to Yuce, Turkish cuisine represents a multi-layered civilizational memory shaped by migrations, geographical diversity, hashar culture, and traditions passed down from generation to generation.
Noting that Turkish and international chefs are coming together in joint gastronomic programs within the framework of the events, Yuce noted that master classes demonstrating traditional cooking methods, "Taste Archive" activities presenting historical recipes, and meetings organized around a common table are strengthening intercultural dialogue. Noting that the programs held at Turkish embassies, consulates general and cultural centers around the world are making Turkey's cultural diplomacy more visible on a global scale, Yuce said, "Turkish Cuisine Week is no longer just an event to promote food; it is a powerful public diplomacy practice that introduces the historical memory of Anatolia, the concept of hospitality and the culture of coexistence to the world."
