International Istanbul Gastronomy Festival

Organised by the Turkish Chefs and Cooks Federation, the International Istanbul Gastronomy Festival has run for over two decades, growing into Turkey's largest gastronomic competition and festival. Held at Istanbul's Bahçelievler Congress Center, the event brings together chefs and culinary federations from more than 20 countries, competing across more than 70 categories to earn medals recognised by the World Association of Chefs Societies.

The festival's dual purpose — as both competition and cultural exchange — has made it an important bridge between Turkish cuisine and the wider culinary world. Alongside the professional competitions, the event serves as a platform for introducing young Turkish chefs to international standards and networks, with the Federation also running joint educational projects with universities to develop the next generation of the country's culinary talent.

For Istanbul, already one of the world's great food cities, the festival adds a formal, competitive dimension to a food culture more commonly experienced through its street food stalls, spice markets and generations-old restaurants.