Turkey regional culinary heritage preservation

In July 2026, two veteran Turkish food artisans highlighted ongoing efforts to safeguard regional pastry traditions.

Retired entrepreneur Hakan İpekçi returned to his native Dernekpazarı in Trabzon province and began producing a century‑old corn‑flour baklava that originated during a local hazelnut shortage. He is pursuing geographic‑indication registration to brand the dessert as a regional specialty and hopes to expand the initiative to other local products such as yayla tea.

A week later, 81‑year‑old baker Tevfik Ekizler of Antalya continued making the city’s geographically‑protected serpme börek, a craft he learned at age 12 from his uncle and whose family recipe dates to 1930. Working from a 70‑year‑old cast‑iron oven, he now fulfills worldwide orders and plans to pass the technique to his son.

Together, these stories illustrate a broader movement among older Turkish producers to revive, protect, and market traditional desserts, leveraging both heritage designations and modern demand.