The gastronomy and hospitality sector is constantly evolving. It seems like every other day, we hear about emerging trends and brand-new concepts. While the sector is constantly searching for novel approaches, there are also concerns about what the future might bring, along with worries about the environment, climate change and waste, in general. Are we changing too fast? This is another concern of the restaurant sector. There are occasional remarks about missing the good old days (and flavors of course) not only for the sake of nostalgia, but maybe more because of the fear of the future. Even if traditional flavors are preserved, change is inevitable. There has always been change in the history of foodways, today’s classics were once novelties of past times. The practice of becoming a chef has also changed. Apprenticeships under a master cooks used to be the norm; now, there are culinary schools. Cooks became chefs. Master cooks became celebrity chefs.
In recent years, culinary schools have become some of the most sought-after educational institutions. Education is essential, but so are the realities of the field. Integrating these two worlds — academic institutions and the practical aspects of the culinary field — is challenging. The same applies to tourism and hospitality schools. After all, hotel management and gastronomy are inextricably linked as they both fall under the umbrella of the service sector. New concepts increasingly coming to the forefront of the service industry include circular solutions and future tools, the latest being the use of AI. Academia steps in on such issues.
Academic research and investigating possible solutions fall into the responsibility of the academic sector. Concepts like sustainability may seem like an over-chewed term, but academia is discussing ways of circular solutions. Recently, at the Faculty of Applied Sciences at Özyeğin University, an international conference was held to scrutinize the future trends and circular solutions in gastronomy and hospitality, under the title “Sustainability by Design.” Among the topics discussed were circular gastronomy, future food and agricultural systems, and the future role of innovation and design. New solutions are emerging and reshaping the future. Chefs are also trying to find solutions in their own ways. The academic world and the practical aspects of the field are converging through design and innovation. The depth of the academic discussions merged with the excitement of the students — the future professionals — during the evening dinner at Miras Restaurant.
Inspired from heritage: Miras Restaurant
Don't ask where this restaurant is located. It doesn't actually exist! “Miras” in Turkish means “heritage” and this is the name that the students picked. It’s a conceptual restaurant created by third-year students in the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, which collaborates with Le Cordon Bleu for their training. As part of their “A la Carte Cuisine” course, the students design an imaginary restaurant from A to Z every year. It is not only designing, but they must also bring their design to life. Cook and serve every single dish they created. The venue is L’Atelier Bleu, the training restaurant located within the Özyeğin University campus.
Drawing inspiration from the deep-rooted heritage of Turkish cuisine, every dish in the menu is in the same line: Classic dishes revisited with an innovative twist. For the logo, they chose a tree, roots in the past, branches and leaves in the sky. Reminiscent of the classic Ottoman Bank logo, the tree is rooted in the earth. As part of the course, the students replicate a professional restaurant operation, from the kitchen to the dining room. They oversee every detail of their own restaurant concept. While preparing the menu and crafting each dish, the students work alongside Head Chef Erich Ruppen and Le Cordon Bleu Instructor Chef Francesco di Marzio. Under the supervision of service instructor Alp Numanoğlu, the students describe and present the dishes as they would in a fine-dining restaurant. Everything is just like in a professional restaurant: the customers are real, and guests can make reservations. No one seems to know about the place. Admittedly, most reservations come from faculty members or parents of students.
Technique and creativity
The course aims to provide hands-on technical culinary experience that mirrors real-world scenarios. Students bring their ideas to life by considering every detail, as if they were working in a high-end restaurant or even opening their own establishment. The training kitchen reflects all the latest concepts of the culinary world. The concept of circular gastronomy, which has now become the norm, is also applied here. The goal is to create a menu that adheres to environmentally conscious principles — from farm to table — and considers the environmental impact of each dish, also thinking about its cost analysis. The course’s core focus is teaching the students the “on-demand cooking” technique. Once an order is placed, the dish must be served in its freshest state, at the correct temperature and with an aesthetically well-executed presentation.
Of course, technique alone is not enough. Creativity and design are even more important. Students are expected to create new dishes by internalizing the knowledge they’ve gained in other courses about Turkish cuisine —particularly its history and cultural heritage aspects — and to offer new interpretations of classic Turkish dishes. This is where the historical knowledge provided by Prof. Dr. Özge Samancı comes into play. Students learn about Turkish cuisine culinary techniques, flavor balances, the classic dishes spanning from the past to the present and the unique ingredients from all regions. All these aspects are expected to be reflected in the dishes. Each student envisions a different dish, and the sum of all these visions forms the menu. However, every vision has an end. When the semester ends, the “dream restaurant” disappears, making way for a brand-new vision with new students in the next academic term. This may not be considered as a circular solution, but it is a circular reoccurrence of creativity for the future generation of gastronomic circles.
