Istanbul to host food and drink festival

The festival will not only offer samples at the stands of participanting restaurants, variety of Istanbul’s catering will be vividly presented at the festival.

A new food and beverage festival, Arçelik Gastro Istanbul, will be spreading flavor all over the city uniting eating, drinking and entertainment fans between May 9 and 12.

In the festival area at Küçükçiftlik Park, tasting stands of selected restaurants, a marketplace, special presentations and entertainment will all be on hand. Panels, demonstrations and interviews for gastronomy lovers will take place over the course of four days. Starting just before the festival, special festival menus will be presented in many member restaurants of the Turkish Restaurant and Entertainment Association from May 7 to 12. Various high quality food and beverages will be served at the taste stands and special activities will take place.

A large eating, drinking and entertainment festival, the event is being organized under the main sponsorship of Arçelik together with the collaboration of Turkey’s Association of Tourism and Catering Operators (TURYID) and Dream Design Factory (DDF) and the content cooperation of Turkish Culinary Association (TMD). It aims to make the city one of the important routes of gastronomy via sharing and developing the culture and wealth of eating, drinking and entertainment.

Catering and entertainment

As well as offering samples at the stands of participant restaurants, the variety of Istanbul’s catering and entertainment will be vividly presented on the festival stage. The mystic heroes of the city’s famous restaurants will share their secrets through shows. While popular artists will spice up the activity with their performances, the leading DJs of Turkey’s entertainment world will take the stage to make fine music.

In order to share gastronomic culture with the fans in detail, the Turkish Culinary Association Activity Tent will take a special place in the festival. Important topics relating to the sector and Turkish as well as world culinary traditions will be discussed together with local and foreign experts, academics and master chefs from different aspects during the event.

The festival stage will feature shows exhibiting the professional cookery from the famous restaurants of Istanbul. Performances will include demonstrations and presentations by Istanbul’s famous chefs.

Exciting performances by leading Turkish DJs including Salih Saka, DJ Yakuza, DJ Doğuş, Ufuk Akyıldız, DJ Barthez, Tamer Kutlu and Murat Tokuz will provide a feast for the ears.

The Turkish Culinary Association Activity Tent will host panels, seminars, and offer samples of classic Turkish culinary staples, including Turkish olives, coffee and wines.

Arçelik Gastro Istanbul will be open between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Ticket prices are 10 Turkish Liras or 5 liras (under 12 and students).

Taste menus will be served at stands, with prices changing between 5 and 20 liras.

Tickets for the Turkish Culinary Association Activity Tent will be sold at prices ranging between 50 and 150 liras. Tickets are available through Biletix.