The guest of the Gastronomy Truck was President Bozbey.

Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey, along with his wife Seden Bozbey, visited the ‘Gastronomy Truck’ which showcases the unique flavors of the city, before the 3rd Gastronomy Festival, touring district by district. Making chestnut fritters with Chef Dr. Esat Özata, Mayor Bozbey stated, “There are different flavors in the center of Bursa and different flavors in its districts. We want to promote these values and contribute to tourism.”

The 3rd Gastronomy Festival, organized by the Metropolitan Municipality under the theme ‘Bursa on My Palate’ to bring Bursa’s rich culinary culture to tourism, will be hosted at Merinos Park on September 13-14-15. This year, the festival will take place with international participation and will offer Bursa residents an unforgettable experience with colorful content such as concerts, competitions, and interviews with famous chefs. To introduce the flavors of Bursa to the districts and invite the people of Bursa to the festival, the ‘Gastronomy Truck’ prepared by the Cultural Inc. of the Metropolitan Municipality has visited Osmangazi, Mustafakemalpaşa, Nilüfer, Keles, Orhangazi, Karacabey, İnegöl, Orhaneli, and Gürsu so far. Bursa Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa Bozbey and his wife Seden Bozbey also visited the Gastronomy Truck at Botanical Park. Wearing chef aprons, Mayor Bozbey and his wife entered the kitchen to make chestnut fritters using products grown and produced in Bursa. During the program, which attracted great interest from the people of Bursa, Mayor Bozbey shared tips on making chestnut fritters. The program was also attended by Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General Mehmet Yıldız, Foreign Relations Department Head Pınar Işıkyıldız, BURFAŞ Board Chairman Yalçın Işıkyıldız, Cultural Inc. General Manager Yankı İçöz, and other municipal bureaucrats.

“Bursa carries many values within it”

Bursa Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa Bozbey thanked Chef Dr. Esat Özata for his contributions to Bursa’s gastronomic culture. Emphasizing the importance of Bursa in terms of gastronomy, Mayor Bozbey stated, “There are different flavors in the center and different flavors in the districts. Hopefully, the people of Bursa will embrace their culinary culture. We want to promote these values and make them part of tourism. We live in a city that even has forgotten dishes. During my time as the city manager in Nilüfer, we conducted a study on this issue. Bursa, as a city that has been the capital of the Ottoman Empire with its mountains, plains, sea, art, and culture, carries many values within itself. It is an honor for us to manage such a city. Our Gastronomy Truck is touring 17 districts. We will hold the Gastronomy Festival at Merinos Park on September 13-14-15. I thank all my team members who contributed to the organization of the festival.”

Seden Bozbey, the wife of Mayor Bozbey, also thanked everyone who contributed to the organization of the Gastronomy Festival.

Chef Dr. Esat Özata mentioned that they had the opportunity to promote Bursa’s unique flavors by traveling to Bursa’s 17 districts with the Gastronomy Truck. He noted that many geographical indication products, from chestnut sweets to cantik, from milk halva to Hasanağa artichokes, are found in this geography, and expressed gratitude to those who contributed, stating that he saw the Gastronomy Truck application for the first time in Bursa, Turkey.

Mayor Bozbey and his wife Seden Bozbey, who prepared the presentation plate under the guidance of Chef Dr. Esat Özata, received a big round of applause from the audience. After tasting the dish they prepared, Mayor Bozbey and his wife received high marks from Chef Dr. Esat Özata. At the end of the program, where fun and enjoyable moments were experienced, Mayor Bozbey and his wife served chestnut pilaf to the participants. After the serving, Chef Dr. Aysel Gürel’s Gastro Music Choir provided a musical feast for the audience with a concert. Mayor Bozbey and his wife later went on stage with protocol members and sang along with the choir.