50 shades of taste in Bursa
From left: Chef Serkan Aksoy (Nicole-Istanbul), researcher Vedat Başaran, chef Gürkan Kaya ( Zennup 1844), HDN columnist Aylin Öney Tan and chef Tahir Özkorkmaz (Baran Et & Mangal) attend the Türkiye Culture Route Festival in Bursa.
There is always a reason to return to Bursa, and it usually involves something delicious. This time, my journey back was inspired by the Türkiye Culture Route Festival, a massive initiative organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. Now in its sixth year, the festival spans 26 cities across the country, showcasing a vibrant lineup of exhibitions, concerts and artisan workshops. My mission, however, was purely culinary: I was on the team tasked with uncovering the city’s gastronomy. In every host city, the festival highlights local culinary heritage by curating a list of “Taste Spots” and spotlighting regional ingredients. Bursa, already famous for its rich gastronomic history, outdid itself this year — and outshined many other cities — by mapping out a whopping 50 distinct taste stops. It was an invitation far too tempting to pass up. I knew right then that it was going to be an incredibly delicious weekend.
Foundations of an empire
