Turkish Cuisine Week 2026 celebrates culinary heritage

(Patria) - Turkish Cuisine Week (TCW), an annual event celebrating Turkey's rich culinary heritage, is being held for the fifth time this year, from May 21st to 27th.

Under the patronage of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, this event will be simultaneously marked in Turkey and around the world.

This year's theme "Heritage Sofras" ("Bir Sofrada Miras") highlights stories, memories, and culture rooted in shared tradition. Through this concept, Turkish gastronomy is viewed not just through dishes, but as a living cultural heritage shaped over centuries by migration, customs, and the long tradition of gathering around the table. Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, the week-long celebration will take place in Turkey, as well as at Turkish diplomatic missions and cultural centers worldwide.

"The sofras are the oldest language of togetherness," reads the main message of the event.

"Food connects people through time."

The theme is presented through three conceptual levels: Dialogue – the sofras as a space where different eras and cultures create values together; Transformation – culinary memory passed down through recipes from generation to generation; Archive – cuisine as the most reliable guardian of unwritten history, brought to life daily on our tables.

The celebrations, focused on tasting living heritage, will be held both in Turkey and at events abroad organized by Turkish embassies and missions. Planned activities include long table dinners, collaborations between Turkish and international chefs, and workshops demonstrating traditional cooking techniques such as dough stretching, slow cooking (keşkek, tandir), and grilling. A special insight into tradition will be provided by temporary culinary archives featuring historical recipes and authentic ingredients.

Dishes in focus

This year's selected dishes highlight cultural diversity and culinary artistry. Among them is keşkek, a traditional slow-cooked wheat and meat dish listed by UNESCO as a symbol of shared celebration and collective effort.

Baklava represents mastery and the transmission of tradition through generations, while manti, a traditional filled dough, reflects themes of migration and travel.

Dolma showcases diversity within a shared culinary language, while halva signifies solidarity and remembrance.

All event materials, including recipes, culinary technique videos, promotional materials, posters, and social media content, are available on the official Turkish Cuisine Week platform, turkishcuisineweek.com.