Turkish Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul inaugurated the Turkish Food Festival at a local hotel with a press conference on Thursday, where guests had the opportunity to meet renowned chefs from Ç?ra?an Palace, Kempinski, Istanbul. Serena Hotels as part of its cultural diplomacy initiatives, has invited Serdar Ongel, Sous Chef, Davut Kutlugun, Chef de Partie and Servet Kanat, Pastry Chef de Partie, from Ç?ra?an Palace to bring flavours of Istanbul to Islamabad. The eight-day festival will be held at Zamana Restaurant and there would be a lucky draw on November 1, 2018, the last day of the festival. Two return tickets for Istanbul with a two-night stay at the Ç?ra?an Palace, Kempinski Istanbul will be given to the winner. The Turkish Embassy has also arranged a waiver on the Turkish visa application service charges from Gerry’s International. Food is an important part of Turkish culture as significant as it is in Pakistan. Influences and interactions between the cuisines of countries surrounding Turkey as well as a fusion of Asian and European cuisines are reflected in Turkish cuisine which uses a lot of vegetables, meat, cereals and yogurt for sauces. Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul said, “Firstly, I would like to thank our chefs and musicians who came all the way from Turkey to promote Turkish culture among our Pakistani brothers and to Serena Hotel for supporting such an event here in Islamabad. Turkish cuisine formed by the intermingling of people. Indeed, geography plays a role. When the Turks migrated from Central Asia towards Anatolia, they brought the elements and practices they picked up along the way, including the food culture. Moreover, the empire characteristics of the Seljuk and Ottoman states have contributed to the diversity of Turkish cuisine, which is one of the best in the world. So, I am sure that people who come to Serena Hotel this week, will enjoy Turkish food and music. As one of the famous Turkish novelist said, “Do not underestimate the dish by calling it just food. The blessed thing is an entire civilisation in itself!” Serena Hotel General Manager Michele Galopin said, “Serena is delighted to welcome back sous chef Serdar Öngel, chef de partie, Davut Kutlugün and pastry chef de partie and chocolatier, Servet Kanat who are responsible for many of the superb meals at the Çira?an Palace, Kempinski in Istanbul. They visited us for an extremely popular festival last year. Serena Hotels are delighted to be able to give our guests the opportunity to experience unique aspects of other cultures and countries. We collaborate with diplomatic missions to successfully conduct such festivals and we are privileged to collaborate with the Embassy of Turkey and the enchanting Ç?ra?an Palace to transport flavours of Istanbul to Islamabad.” Dating back to the 17th century, the only Ottoman imperial palace and hotel on the Bosphorus, Ç?ra?an Palace, Kempinski Istanbul, is unique in its splendid style, superb location, fascinating view and resort ambiance. It is also renowned for its superb hospitality and the rich variety of restaurants, from the ultimate Ottoman dining experience at the Tu?ra Restaurant to the delicious comfort food and regional specialities of the Laledan Restaurant. Published in Daily Times, October 26th 2018.