Worlds of Flavor 2025: Bulghur and Yogurt Across Anatolia

Why It Matters

Understanding bulgur and yogurt’s culinary versatility equips chefs to innovate sustainably while preserving Anatolian cultural heritage, meeting growing consumer demand for authentic, nutritious dishes.

Key Takeaways

• Cold‑pounded meat preserves texture, enhancing kebab flavor and juiciness.
• Bulgur wheat can replace rice, adding heartiness to soups and dumplings.
• Yogurt serves as both cooling base and warming soup component.
• Traditional Turkish knives (Zurk) influence meat grinding and final texture.
• Chef‑driven storytelling highlights cultural identity behind Anatolian staples.

Summary

The Worlds of Flavor 2025 session, hosted by veteran food journalist Liz Gman, spotlighted the humble yet versatile staples of bulgur and yogurt across Anatolia. Chefs Musa Doug Devin and Mlec Erdal demonstrated how these ingredients anchor both rustic home cooking and upscale restaurant dishes, from stuffed squash rolls with yogurt to a hearty yogurt‑based soup studded with bulgur dumplings. Key techniques emerged: Devin’s cold‑pounding of lamb with a rolling pin to keep fibers intact, the use of the traditional Turkish "Zurk" knife for coarse meat grinding, and the strategic salting of bulgur to "keep the evil away." He also highlighted the adaptability of squash—summer zucchini or dried winter varieties—paired with goat meat and aromatic wild basil. Erdal’s yogurt soup showcased bulgur’s flexibility, soaking it in hot water and forming meat‑free dumplings that absorb the tangy broth. Throughout the demo, cultural anecdotes reinforced the dishes’ heritage. Devin noted that Turkish breakfasts once featured dozens of items, yet the modern city palate simplifies choices. Erdal referenced the shepherd’s meal tradition, linking the word "chobani" to Kurdish yogurt fame. Audience questions revealed curiosity about ingredient sourcing, from coriander seeds to the large Zurk knife, underscoring a desire to replicate authentic techniques at home. The session underscored a broader culinary trend: rediscovering regional grains and dairy as sustainable, flavor‑rich foundations. For chefs and food entrepreneurs, mastering these time‑honored methods offers a pathway to differentiate menus, appeal to health‑conscious diners, and honor the cultural narratives embedded in Anatolian cuisine.

Original Description

The Culinary Institute of America’s Worlds of Flavor® International Conference and Festival is widely acknowledged as our country’s most influential professional forum on world cuisines, food cultures, and flavor trends. This video from our 27th anniversary of Worlds of Flavor—Roots of Culture, Seas of Discovery: Mediterranean Culinary Tradition, Exchange and Invention in the 21st Century.

Find more information: at https://www.worldsofflavor.com

General Session VI: Grains and Cultures: Bulghur and Yogurt Across Anatolia

Discover how bulghur and yogurt—two humble and foundational staples—become bold expressions of flavor, heritage, and identity in both Turkish and Kurdish cuisine and the unique ways that these cultures engage these ingredients. This session showcases how fermentation, texture, and grain selection reflect regional identities and seasonal rhythms and showcase the cultural richness of the Mediterranean.

• Liz Grossman (Freelance Writer, Editor, Storyteller; Chicago, IL)

• Musa Dağdeviren (Chef-Owner, Çiya Sofrasi; Istanbul, Turkey) with interpretation by Burak Epir

• Melek Erdal (Food Writer, Cook, and Storyteller; London, UK)

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Founded in 1946, the Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees with majors in Baking and Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, Culinary Science, Culinary Therapeutics, Food Business, Food Studies and Sustainability, Hospitality Management, and Wine and Beverage Management. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 55,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.