Salah’s transfer video puts Trabzon cuisine in spotlight

TRABZON

A video released by Trabzonspor to announce the signing of Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah has given a boost to the international visibility of Trabzon’s cuisine, drawing attention to traditional dishes among visitors to the Black Sea city.

The video, which quickly became one of the club’s most popular social media posts, features Salah visiting a local family and sitting down to a traditional meal. The spread includes kuymak, a hearty dish made with cornmeal, cheese and butter; stuffed collard green; cornbread; locally produced butter; and kaygana, a traditional egg-based specialty.

Emre Murat, head of the Trabzon Gastronomy Association, said the video had generated significant interest in the dishes featured, particularly among international visitors.

“People began coming to Trabzon to see the products featured in the commercial. There were many inquiries about what Salah had eaten and, particularly from foreign tourists, where they could find those dishes,” Murat said.

Salah’s arrival in Trabzon, he noted, offered an opportunity to showcase not only the football club but also the city’s culinary traditions and way of life to a global audience.

Murat said food suppliers in contact with the association reported unusually strong demand during the week of Salah’s arrival, with some working late into the night to meet interest in local products.

The renewed attention comes as Trabzon’s cuisine has gained wider exposure through television productions filmed in the region and international events. Murat also cited the inclusion of Trabzon butter in the menu of an official gala dinner held for leaders during a NATO summit as another example of the city’s culinary heritage reaching international audiences.

Mamal Jeri, a tourist from Kuwait, said kuymak was among his favorite dishes in Trabzon. After seeing the transfer video on social media, he said he was inspired to try it himself.

“Salah is known by everyone. His arrival here was a big surprise, but it was very good,” Jeri said.