Chefs of the Culinary Program Attended the 32nd International Food and Beverage Specialization Fair

The 32nd Anfaş FoodProduct – International Food and Beverage Specialization Fair, held at Antalya Anfaş International Fair and Congress Center between January 06-09, 2026, brought together national and international stakeholders of the food and beverage sector. The fair hosted over 300 participating companies and more than 35,000 professional visitors from 70 provinces domestically and over 50 countries internationally.

Within the scope of the organization organized with the support of GastroAntalya and Mediterranean Chefs Association Chairman Bilal YÜREĞİR, panel, competition, and workshop programs were held. Through these events, representatives from academia and the sector came together to discuss current issues, primarily gastronomy education, sustainability, and food waste.

Panels coordinated by AŞKDER during the fair were attended by 22 academicians from 17 different universities, 9 hotel general managers, 11 executive chefs, 8 food and beverage managers, and 5 representatives of non-governmental organizations.

During the planning process of academic talks, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Food Agriculture and Livestock Vocational School Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Services Department Head Lecturer Muhammed HAYKIR and Isparta University of Applied Sciences Faculty of Tourism Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökhan YILMAZ actively participated and provided academic contributions.

The panel titled “How Important Are the Foods Going to Waste?” organized within the scope of the fair, was moderated by Lecturer Muhammed HAYKIR. In the panel; Lecturer Yunus Baygül from MAKÜ, Rubi Platinum Spa Resort & Suites Operations Manager Çağatay Demirtaş, Balmy Beach Resort Kemer Executive Chef Hüseyin Irmak, and F&B Manager Mustafa Demir made evaluations on food waste and sustainable kitchen management.

The talk ended with the presentation of plaques and a photo shoot. We congratulate our professors who participated in the event to ensure sectoral cooperation.