One of the dignified recipients of the Social Gastronomy Chef Award, held by only 10 individuals worldwide, is Ebru Baybara Demir. Her achievement is not merely personal; it stands as a quiet yet powerful recognition of women’s labor and resilience in Türkiye.
Today, the meaning of gastronomy is no longer shaped by what is cooked, but by how it touches human life. Across the world, a new lens is being placed on the kitchen: Can the table be a site of transformation rather than consumption? The most compelling answer to this question comes from the Basque Culinary Center in San Sebastián, Spain. For more than a decade, they have been demonstrating that gastronomy is no longer just a profession — it is a field of social responsibility. And they have succeeded. The Social Gastronomy Award, granted by this institution, which is widely regarded as the innovation hub of global gastronomy, has evolved into one of the world’s most influential social movements built around food.
The jury for this award is composed not only of chefs, but also of sociologists, anthropologists, climate experts and researchers of cultural heritage. Leading chefs such as Joan Roca, Mauro Colagreco, Elena Arzak, Dominique Crenn and Massimo Bottura are also part of the jury — not simply for their culinary mastery, but for their ability to think beyond taste and reflect on humanity. Because the kitchen today does more than produce recipes; it speaks about economy, migration, sustainability, education and health.
The previous award recipients exemplify the spirit of this new era: María Fernanda Di Giacobbe, empowering women cacao producers in Venezuela; Leonor Espinosa, safeguarding the culinary memory of Colombia’s Indigenous peoples; Jock Zonfrillo, documenting Aboriginal recipes in Australia before they disappear; Anthony Myint, connecting gastronomy to climate action; José Andrés, delivering hot meals to disaster and conflict zones; Xanty Elías, turning nutrition into an educational model for children; Fatmata Binta, reviving the Fulani culture; Leticia Landa, creating entrepreneurial opportunities for migrant women in San Francisco… And from Turkey, Ebru Baybara Demir — a quiet transformation rising from Mardin. What unites all these names is clear: they use gastronomy not merely to create flavour, but to change lives.
At this point, Turkey emerges as a country capable of telling a story that goes beyond the kitchen. Because Turkish gastronomy carries not just history, but also the potential for transformation — through its producers, migration stories, women’s labor and local knowledge. Yet this potential can only become visible if we first ask a new question:
Should gastronomy in Turkey seek mere flavor — or create a language for the future of society?
The first concrete answer came from Mardin. Today, Ebru Baybara Demir is not only a chef; she is a social leader who connects with local producers, supports women’s economic independence, empowers migrants through the kitchen and revitalizes agriculture across Anatolia. Whether through cooperative projects, integration kitchens, or seed-preservation initiatives — her efforts remind us that gastronomy is not only a biological need, but a sociological one. Food should not only be read on a plate, but within society, within the economy and within human relationships.
Under her leadership, a new culinary perspective is emerging in Türkiye — one that does not exist solely in restaurants, but also in village schools, rural neighborhoods, migrant integration centers and women’s cooperatives. Because food is not only consumed — it heals. Every dish establishes communication. A bond created around a table can sometimes be more impactful than a public policy. Migration is not a crisis — it may be the dawn of a new culinary language. Women’s labour is not supplementary — it is the heart of the food economy. Waste is not merely loss — it is a source waiting to be transformed. Historically, Turkish cuisine has already been operating with a “zero-waste” principle; the real challenge is to convert this knowledge into a modern strategy.
Today, the world is in search of a new language of gastronomy — one that heals society, respects producers, lives in harmony with nature and connects with culture. Turkey is a country born with this language at its core. In Anatolia, setting a table does not simply mean preparing food; it means creating togetherness. Migration, sharing, abundance, memory… They all sit at the same table. That is why Turkish gastronomy can be ambitious not only with its past, but also with its future.
In today’s culinary world, what truly matters is no longer the price of a dish or the fame of its chef — but the lives it can touch. Because food is no longer just a product of the kitchen — it has become one of the most powerful ways to reconnect society. And right at this exact moment, Turkey arrives at a crucial crossroads. Through its producers, its stories of migration, women’s strength and ancient wisdom, Turkish gastronomy holds the power to create transformation. The question we must ask now is: How many lives can one plate change?
Perhaps the quietest yet most profound answer comes from Mardin. The path opened by Ebru Baybara Demir shows that gastronomy is not only about nourishing the body, but also about cultivating hope, dignity, belonging and change. Today, Mardin is far more than a kitchen — it is a living laboratory of social gastronomy. Some of the world’s most renowned chefs are now travelling to Mardin — not only to observe, but to learn from it.
Gastronomy is no longer merely about taste. It is a way of shaping a shared future.
Perhaps for the first time, Türkiye is bringing not only food to the table but a possibility for living together. Not just for eating, but for reconnecting.
