The first part of this project focuses on Izmir’s culinary culture. Izmir has been home to various communities throughout the history. Turks, Jews, Cypriot Greeks, Levantines, Cretans, Macedonians, Bosnians, and Albanians all lived together shared their customs, and married each other. The Jews who settled in Anatolia after leaving Spain in 1492, quickly integrated with Turkey and its culture. Having many common features of Mediterranean culture and living on both sides of the Mediterranean for centuries, they adopted the common flavors of these lands. These different societies have formed a culinary culture that has been continuing for centuries. The project started with the dishes of Izmir which reflect these different cultures. All the dishes are formed with textile materials, like real dishes these textile objects were made by hand with love and passion.

When the Turks first came to Anatolia from Asia, they carried the rich food culture along the way, and they had enriched it with the materials gathered from every country along their way. When they settled in Anatolia, which was encircled by three seas, offered the benefit of living all four seasons, providing fresh vegetables and fruits, enriched the culinary culture more. With so many ethnic groups living on this fertile land, culinary culture has turned into one of the world’s best. This project will continue with Turkey’s other regions showing the richness of the culinary culture.