Turkish Consulate in Komotini hosts "Turkish Cuisine Week" celebration
Following Friday prayers, the event took place in the consulate’s garden and was attended by a large number of members from the local Turkish minority community in Western Thrace. Guests were warmly welcomed at the entrance by Consul General Aykut Ünal and his spouse, İlayda Ünal.
In his opening speech, Consul General Ünal emphasized the cultural depth of Turkish cuisine and the significance of Turkish Cuisine Week. Addressing particularly the youth among the guests, he said:
“Welcome to our Turkish Cuisine Week event, initiated under the leadership of our Presidency. Last week, the Young Academics Group of the Western Thrace Minority Graduates Association gathered. This week, in honor of both Turkish Cuisine Week and the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day on May 19, we are delighted to host the youth once again as our special guests.”
He continued with a heartfelt and humorous speech that reflected on the emotional and cultural connections Turks have with their food:
“Let me tell you a love story. Not an ordinary one, but a legendary bond between a person and their stomach: Turkish cuisine.
Breakfast is where it begins; if it’s not lavish, it’s not breakfast.
Lunch? The question 'What shall we eat?' is always met with 'Anything goes,' because the choices are endless.
As for dessert—well, in our culture, dessert isn’t light. It’s a conscious dive into a sugar coma. And it never ends with one sweet; there’s tea, coffee, fruit, more chatting… and then we’re hungry again.”
He added a philosophical analogy, comparing the rotating spit of döner to the human experience:
“Just like döner cooks by rotating around steady heat, we too become seasoned through our experiences. Every spin makes the meat tastier—just as every challenge helps us grow. Whether served in bread, a wrap, or on a plate—each form tells something about us. Döner on a plate says, ‘I am stable. Let the world revolve around me.’”
Ünal concluded by expressing his gratitude to all those who contributed to the event. He specifically thanked Erhan Bey and his team from İpsala, as well as officials such as Youth and Sports Director Ersin Kanar. He also conveyed greetings from Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer, Deputy Governor and İpsala District Governor Ömer Sevgili, who could not attend the event.
Special thanks were extended to Ayşe Hanım, Bahar Hanım, Murat Bey, Emrah and Ersin Bey, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, as well as to his wife İlayda Ünal, who he affectionately referred to as the “maestro of today’s event and the maestro of my heart.”
Following the speech, attendees were treated to a selection of traditional Turkish dishes, including döner served over rice, stuffed vine leaves, a variety of desserts, and beverages. The gathering took place in a warm and festive atmosphere, fostering a sense of community among the Turkish minority in Western Thrace.
