Manavgat, which has a significant share of Türkiye's 61 billion dollars worth of tourism revenue with a value of 6,6 billion dollars, will also be showcased internationally in gastronomy tourism with its flavors reflecting its cultural heritage as well as its historical and natural beauties. At the International Manavgat Crete to Side Culture and Flavor Festival, hosted by Manavgat Municipality on April 24-26, world-famous chefs will add artistic touches to every plate with Cretan flavors.
World-famous chefs will add Cretan flavors to every plate at Side Antique Port
At the tasting event to be held at Side Antique Port on April 25th, the second day of the festival, at 15.00:XNUMX, flavor wizards Maria Ekmekçioğlu, Esat Özata, Dilek Yetkiner, Pasquale Lembo, Apostolos Altanis, Ioannis Koufos and Argyrios Kontakis will roll up their sleeves to transform Cretan cuisine into a work of art. The chefs will reinterpret Cretan cuisine, which stands out as a representative of naturalness and healthy living in world culinary culture, with its olive oil dishes, dishes made with wild herbs, fresh seafood and appetizers that leave a mark on the palate, with modern touches, and will offer participants a flavor journey that leaves tastes on the palate.
Journey to the roots of taste at the Temple of Apollo
The talk event titled “Flavour Journey from Crete to Side”, which will start at 17.00:XNUMX on the same day at the Side Apollon Temple, will take a journey to the roots of flavour. In the event, which will be moderated by Palace and Culture Historian Çağrı Başkurt, Chef Dilek Yetkiner will tell the story of the Aegean and exchange cuisine, while Seda Özel, President of the International Agricultural Association, will draw attention to the strong ties of this rich culinary culture with agriculture and production. Chef-Author Maria Ekmekçioğlu, who has been researching the gastronomic relations between Turkey and Greece for years, will emphasise that food is a cultural ambassador without borders.
Participants will experience the excitement of discovering the memory carried by Cretan food in this conversation that has both historical and cultural depth.
Chefs will discover the most mysterious culinary secrets of Crete with the women of Side
On the last day of the festival, at 15.00:XNUMX at the Side Antique Port, famous chefs Maria Ekmekçioğlu, Ioannis Koufos and Rasim Sakarya will discover the most mysterious culinary secrets of Crete with the women of Side at the “Cretan Cuisine Interpretation with the Women of Side” event. This meeting, where centuries-old recipes will be blended with Anatolian hospitality and the serenity of the Aegean, will once again reveal that Manavgat is a rising star in the gastronomy scene.
“Manavgat is starting a new era in gastronomy tourism”
Manavgat Mayor Dr. Niyazi Nefi Kara emphasized that the district will now be talked about a lot with its sea, sun, natural and historical values as well as its gastronomy riches. Mayor Kara said, “With the International Manavgat Crete to Side Culture and Flavor Festival, we are bringing our city to the international showcase in gastronomy tourism and hosting a unique flavor journey blended with culture. Our aim is to make Manavgat a tourism center that lives, breathes and is discovered not just for a few months of the year but for 12 months. We are proud to share the richness of these lands with the world by bringing together the ancient recipes of Crete with the historical atmosphere of Side. Manavgat will now be the star of flavor, culture and sustainable tourism! I invite all flavor hunters to discover unique flavors blended with the magic of history and to feel the spirit of Cretan cuisine in the heart of Side.”
The gastronomic feast is enlivened with concerts and cultural events!
The International Manavgat Crete to Side Culture and Flavor Festival will begin on April 24 at 16.00:9 with a magnificent procession from 3 Çeşme to the Temple of Apollo. As part of the festival, free public concerts will be held for three days on a giant stage set up in the heart of the Ancient City of Side with a mesmerizing view of the Temple of Apollo. At the event, world-famous artist Sofia Vossou, who represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest and was awarded the “Platinum Record” award, will take the stage with her powerful voice. On the second evening of the grand celebration, artist Chrysoula Stefanaki, known for her emotional depth and powerful vocals, will take the stage. At the final concert of the festival, Necati and the Saykolar band, who blend Anatolian rock melodies with modern sounds, will give the audience unforgettable moments with their energetic performances, again on the stage at the Temple of Apollo. The cultural event to be held at the Ancient Port Side Culture House will feature a special screening of the cult film Zorba, which won three Oscars and was adapted from the world-famous novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, one of the greatest names in Greek literature. In the festival bazaar created in accordance with the principles of sustainable tourism at the Side Ancient Port, local products unique to Manavgat will be exhibited for four days. Visitors will have the opportunity to get to know the cultural and gastronomic riches of the region up close.
