I thought that the food and beverage world would speed up post-pandemic, but it officially took a huge leap forward let alone speeding up. I'm not just talking about Michelin coming to Istanbul - gastronomy symposiums have increased, chefs' restaurants and culinary variations have multiplied, many local and global products have entered Tukey's market.If you ask me, gastronomy in Turkey reached its peak development speed of the century in the last 3 years. I can say that this has also motivated the sector; in the past, chefs would not come out from their castles, but now they have started to collaborate much more and come together more. In the last few years, I can say that many people working in the food and beverage sector have almost created success out of nothing in such an economy and system.In terms of diversity, we have been catching up with Europe and the USA in recent years. We are developing restaurant culture not only in terms of food and beverage but also in terms of atmosphere, service, music and lighting.<h2 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Casual fine-dining</h2>My personal favourite this year is <a fr-original-style="" href="https://instagram.com/beca.istanbul?igshid=YTY2NzY3YTc=" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">BECA</a>, where I am also the food and beverage coordinator. I am not saying this because I was in the team that did it, but I think that it closed the multi-cultural cuisine gap in the market with 'comfort'. What I mean by 'comfort' is that; there is no fine-dine target through white tablecloths, but a simple but stylish experience in the comfort-chic area is desired.<h2 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Chopstick</h2>Asiatic (Asian essential/Asian) restaurants are also among the rising stars of 2022. There have been sushi restaurants in Turkey for more than 10 years, but fusion-Asian cuisines are just developing. Nowadays, Asiatic fusion places, which we can call neighbourhood restaurants, are multiplying. Some examples are <a fr-original-style="" href="https://instagram.com/percybyazur?igshid=YTY2NzY3YTc=" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Percy</a> in Azur, <a fr-original-style="" href="https://instagram.com/inariomakase?igshid=YTY2NzY3YTc=" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Inari</a> and <a fr-original-style="" href="https://instagram.com/sakuistanbul?igshid=YTY2NzY3YTc=" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Saku</a>, which has just opened.<h2 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Go green</h2>Finally, vegan and vegetarian businesses are among the fastest-growing restaurant groups this year. From vegan lahmacun (Turkish pita with minced meat) shops to vegan sections in kebab shops, from restaurants that only work in vegan nutrition to chain restaurants that pay attention to food sensitivity such as vegan-gluten-free-lactose-free, we are experiencing a massive growth in this regard. I can say that since people started to pay attention to both nature and their own holistic nature, plant-based nutrition has entered the arena rapidly. Support your locals:&nbsp;2022 was a fascinating, fast-paced year in terms of food and beverage, and 2023 seems like it is going to be even faster. If you want to be a part of the coming storm, be sure to support local restaurants and producers. Advancing Turkey's gastronomy in local and multi-cultural cuisines is in the hands of the sector, but it also depends on our strong stance and stability - you and me, the consumers. It's your turn, my dear Istanbulite!

Aposto Istanbul

What did we eat, and where did we go this year? What awaits us in 2023?

How did we fill up in 2022?

<blockquote fr-original-style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); border-color: rgb(255, 206, 20); border-width: 4px; font-style: italic; padding-left: 10px;" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); border-color: rgb(255, 206, 20); border-width: 4px; font-style: italic; padding-left: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; border-left-style: solid; box-sizing: border-box;">"To be honest, the first reason that prompted me to to sell my chocolates was to support my mom with my school fees and to cover my expenses. Maybe it's a bit cliché, but it all started in the small kitchen of a small house."</blockquote>On one of the rare sunny days of winter, 24-year-old Aslı Bilgin, whose modest shop we visited in Kozyatağı, explains the starting point of <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.instagram.com/nuvolechocolate/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Nuvole Chocolate</a> in the simplest way with these sentences you read above. Bilgin's story is not very different from the stories of many startups we hear today. It always starts with finding a gap in a sector and taking action. Bilgin realizes there is a gap in the industry for gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free chocolate. However, when the business line is far from the fields she studied and technology, she faces difficulty in pursuing her dreams. Because, she says, the question that always comes up is:&nbsp;"You studied all those two departments, are you going to sit in the shop and make chocolate all day?". And in fact, entrepreneurship starts at exactly this point.The reason why they asked Bilgin this question is that she chose Public Relations and International Relations as her university majors. In addition to her interest, the reason behind this choice is that she "had to eliminate the gastronomy option because he is a vegetarian". Although Bilgin did not study gastronomy, her curiosity about healthy eating and her passion for chocolate led her to find herself in the food industry.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/0/1658697597955.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="1.51" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Photo:&nbsp;Deniz SabuncuOne day, her mother, with whom she now runs the chocolate shop, told Bilgin, who avoided consuming packaged products with high levels of additives, "Let's buy ingredients and make our own chocolate."&nbsp;After a period of trials, the duo settled on their ideal recipe with carob extract, and at first they received orders from their close circle for a while. Later on, they started to tapping into a wide audience through social media. At the point where the dream turns into a real business, KOSGEB (Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization in Turkey) comes into play."As the business grew, we couldn't fit in the house," said Bilgin, who applied to KOSGEB on the advice of a relative and opened Nuvole Chocolate in 2019 with its machinery and equipment after the project was approved. "I had no capital at all, and it was impossible for me to get a loan from any bank,"&nbsp;Bilgin says and adds:<blockquote fr-original-style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); border-color: rgb(255, 206, 20); border-width: 4px; font-style: italic; padding-left: 10px;" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); border-color: rgb(255, 206, 20); border-width: 4px; font-style: italic; padding-left: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; border-left-style: solid; box-sizing: border-box;">"From the first day you open a business, you start to incur expenses, and if you don't have the capital, these expenses come back to you with extras. While economic capital is significant, I think the biggest requirement is knowledge capital."</blockquote><img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/0/1658697648364.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="1.51" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Photo: Deniz SabuncuToday, in addition to retail sales, Nuvole Chocolate also prepares packages for special occasions for big companies such as KORDSA and Akbank. On the other hand, it also organizes workshops to better explain the content of chocolate to customers. &nbsp;"There are innumerous people who do not know that cocoa comes from a fruit and think of chocolate only as a harmful snack. During our workshops, we show what chocolate is and what it is not," says Bilgin. The workshops also play a big role in Nuvole's sustainability but are currently on a mandatory break due to the pandemic. After the pandemic, chocolate workshops and chocolate shop management training will resume.When asked about her advice for those who want to follow a similar career path, Bilgin emphasizes the importance of believing in an idea and knowing yourself. She says, "Your brand becomes like your baby, and your mind is on it 24/7. Some days you can spend the whole day working without sitting down," and lists her recommendations as follows:<blockquote fr-original-style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); border-color: rgb(255, 206, 20); border-width: 4px; font-style: italic; padding-left: 10px;" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); border-color: rgb(255, 206, 20); border-width: 4px; font-style: italic; padding-left: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; border-left-style: solid; box-sizing: border-box;">"I suggest that people who can dedicate themselves to their business should choose this path. If your character is suitable in this way and you have an idea you believe in, first find out if anyone has realized your idea. Then get to know your competitors well. If you have done all this, do not hesitate to take risks. What could be better than spending your life with a job you will be happy with!"</blockquote>

gastronomy ile ilgili hikayeler