Culinary Heritage Certification Assessments Begin in Alanya with Araz Aknam and Team

niclas222
May 2
2 min read

Exciting times lie ahead in Alanya as Culinary Heritage’s Turkish-based Certification Inspector, Araz Aknam, together with other members of the Culinary Heritage team, prepares to conduct a full week of on-site certification assessments across the region.

Thanks to the well-coordinated efforts of Alanya Municipality, the upcoming schedule has been meticulously planned for next week, ensuring that the restaurants and producers involved are fully prepared for evaluation under the Culinary Heritage Certification System. This marks a significant step forward in the implementation of the updated system, which Alanya recently adopted as the first licensed region in Türkiye, now covering the entire Antalya province.

A Week of Training, Tasting, and Tradition

The week will not only be packed with assessments but will also serve as a training period for the Alanya Municipality team, who are undergoing the obligatory onboarding required for all License Holders. The hands-on experience will give the team valuable insight into the certification system’s pillars and methodology, empowering them to manage and support the process locally in the future.

Meanwhile, the Culinary Heritage assessment team will be out in the field - visiting restaurants, tasting traditional Turkish Mediterranean dishes, and meeting with dedicated chefs and producers whose work reflects the values of the certification system. From regional ingredients to time-honored preparation techniques, each business will be evaluated in line with Culinary Heritage’s six pillars:

Culinary Heritage Preservation
Sustainability and Local Sourcing
Quality and Authenticity
Community Engagement
Transparency in Operations
Innovation in Tradition

A Milestone Moment for Antalya's Culinary Scene

This intensive week marks a major milestone not only for Alanya but for the wider Antalya region, as it paves the way for more businesses to become Certified Members of the Culinary Heritage network.

“We’re thrilled to finally meet so many passionate professionals face-to-face,” says the Global Coordinator Niclas Fjellström. “The preparation by Alanya Municipality has been fantastic, and we’re looking forward to an inspiring week filled with culinary excellence, local flavour, and meaningful connections.”

With Araz Aknam’s expertise and a strong local team in place, expectations are high. We cross our fingers that many of the businesses will pass the certification bar and be welcomed into the global Culinary Heritage family.

Stay tuned for updates and the first wave of newly certified members from one of Türkiye’s most iconic food regions!