On World Elderly Day, Burdur Flavors Brought Generations Together

Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University brought together the elderly and the young at the same table with a meaningful event organized as part of World Elderly Day activities. The event titled “From Past to Future Burdur Flavors: Intergenerational Cooking Workshop” was held at Yeşilova İsmail Akın Tourism Vocational School Application Kitchen.

The event was organized in collaboration with Yeşilova İsmail Akın Tourism Vocational School, Faculty of Health Sciences Gerontology Department, and Çavdır Vocational School. At three different stations set up in the application kitchen, both students and elderly individuals prepared the traditional flavors of Burdur cuisine together. In this way, different generations came together through culinary culture, sharing both their experiences and life stories.

In the workshop, under the facilitation of Lecturer Engin PULLUK, participants prepared one of the region's important dishes, Gölhisar Kavurması. Under the guidance of Lecturer Anıl ÖRNEK, one of the iconic soups of Burdur cuisine, Sakala Çarpan Çorbası (Leech Soup), was made. At the third station, Lecturer Enver SERBEST made a traditional wedding dish, Keşkek , with the participants.

Throughout the event, while the elderly shared culinary secrets from the past with the young, the students learned how to make local dishes and contributed to the preservation of cultural heritage. During the workshop, the elderly participants not only explained the ingredients and cooking techniques of the dishes to the students but also conveyed the significance of these dishes in the region, on which special occasions they were made, and under what conditions they were prepared in the past. The sincere atmosphere in the application kitchen once again highlighted the value of different generations being together. This special event held on the occasion of World Elderly Day also served to strengthen intergenerational solidarity.