CIU chef candidates meet with one of the BEIN GURME chefs, Esat Özata

CIU School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts organized the event “The Routes to Develop Academically in Gastronomy”, where the students met with Esat Özata, a chef from one of Turkey’s most prestigious food channels BEIN GURME.

Stating that he started his profession in high school, when “gastronomy” as a concept was not even born yet, Özata went on to say, “During those years, the word cook was mostly commonly known. The universities were not yet providing education in Gastronomy”.

Explaining that in order to develop himself, he went through roads that were difficult and full of sacrifice, Chef Özata informed that he put in one-on-one effort in the kitchen, and that you cannot master a job, without learning the apprenticeship.

Noting that during the last 12 years, gastronomy has gained great momentum, Özata stated that during this process, a total of 88 gastronomy departments have been opened in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.

Emphasizing that from an academic point of view, there are still uncertainties surrounding under which academic roof gastronomy should reside, Chef Özata continued “It is important that gastronomy is accepted as an integral part of tourism and that it is definitely under the roof of Tourism and Hotel Management".

Speaking in relation to the gastronomy education provided at universities, Özata advised, “The courses provided within Gastronomy departments can vary greatly, as a number of different disciplines are applied. For this reason, a huge confusion of meaning is experienced”.

Chef Özata advised that the young chef candidates who wish to become academicians should always examine the subjects and the conditions they find themselves in, and that they should be aware that they will have to constantly improve themselves.

Point out the difficulties of the doctorate process during the progression of becoming an academician, Özata advised that the graduate and doctorate process is completely different from the undergraduate period, and that the young chef candidates who want to continue down this road are required to be more self-sacrificing and researching individuals.

Giving advice to the young chef candidates, Chef Esat Özata advised those who would like to progress academically, to never paying attention to hearsay information, and to constantly read and conduct their own research.