Turkey showcases Turkish cuisine at NATO summit gala dinner

The 36th NATO State and Government Leaders Summit was held on 7‑8 July 2026 at the Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi in Ankara, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. A gala dinner for the 32 NATO members was prepared by two‑Michelin‑star chef Fatih Tutak, featuring regional Turkish products such as stone‑oven pide, Trabzon butter, Hizan honey, zeytinyağlı vegetable sote, Tavas yakık kokulu koyun yoğurdu, sea bass, Urla sakız artichoke, Tokat grape‑leaf, and milk‑baklava with Antep pistachio foam. Leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the menu; Trump reportedly said the food was “12 out of 10” and asked for the recipe. Chef Tutak commented, “It was a great honour to represent Turkish cuisine on such a special table.” The dinner attracted extensive media coverage and social‑media discussion, highlighting Turkey’s culinary heritage and the use of locally sourced, geographically‑indicated ingredients.