Kazakh dastarkhan and Turkish cuisine: international gastronomic project implemented in ENU

The L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University hosted an International Gastronomic Summer School that brought together students from Kazakhstan and Turkey around the national cuisines of the two countries.

The project was organized by ENU’s Institute of Continuing Learning and Tourism Department of the Graduate School of Economics and Tourism with the support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

The first day of the summer school was dedicated to Kazakh cuisine. Before the start of the practical part, the head of ENU’s Tourism Department, Layilya Mutaliyeva, introduced the Turkish guests to the peculiarities of the national cuisine of Kazakhstan.

She spoke about the history of traditional dishes and their importance in the culture of the Kazakh people, the traditions of hospitality and the special place of dastarkhan in the Kazakh family.

"National cuisine is not only about dishes and cooking methods. Each dish is based on the history of the people, their traditions and a certain way of life," said Layilya Mutaliyeva.

A master class on cooking traditional dishes was conducted by the chef of Kazakh cuisine Zhuldyz Kaliyeva. During the practical lesson, Kazakh and Turkish students cooked dishes together, got acquainted with the peculiarities of the national cuisine, and finally were able to taste dishes prepared with their own hands.

This format allowed the participants not only to get information about the Kazakh cuisine, but also to get to know it better through practical work and direct communication.

On the second day, the participants, led by the chef of the Rixos President Astana Hotel, Zaure Zhumabekova, cooked traditional Turkish dishes together. As part of the master class, Kazakhstani students got acquainted with the peculiarities of Turkish cuisine, cooking methods and gastronomic traditions of the Turkish people.

For students studying in the field of tourism and hospitality, familiarization with the national cuisines of Kazakhstan and Turkey is of great professional importance. The project helped to increase students' interest in gastronomy and tourism, strengthen international relations, and promote national cuisine as part of cultural heritage.

Following the results of the summer school, the participants were awarded certificates for participation in the International Gastronomic Summer School.

The organizers expressed gratitude to the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) for supporting the project and contributing to the development of educational and cultural cooperation between Kazakhstan and Turkey.

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) is a government agency for international technical assistance under the Government of the Republic of Turkey. The agency was established in 1992 and today implements projects in more than 150 countries around the world.