Chef Şemse Gökalp is collecting and publishing traditional recipes to preserve the culinary heritage of Turkey's Hatay province following devastating earthquakes [1].
This effort seeks to safeguard a cultural identity that faced erasure when homes, businesses, and families were destroyed. Because many of these recipes were passed down orally through generations, the loss of community structures threatened to permanently delete the region's gastronomic history.
The project focuses on the Hatay province, a region known for its diverse and rich food traditions. Following the earthquakes in February 2023 [1], Gökalp began the process of gathering recipes from survivors and local experts to ensure the flavors of the region survive the physical destruction of the city [2].
Culinary heritage in Hatay is more than a collection of ingredients; it is a living record of the area's multicultural history. By documenting these dishes in a cookbook, Gökalp aims to create a permanent archive that can be accessed by future generations regardless of the current state of the province's infrastructure [1].
The process involves interviewing elders and practitioners who held the knowledge of specific regional dishes. This documentation serves as a form of cultural recovery, allowing the community to reclaim a piece of their identity while they continue the long process of rebuilding their lives [2].
Gökalp's work emphasizes that while buildings can be reconstructed, the loss of intangible heritage is irreversible if not actively documented. The resulting cookbook serves as both a historical record and a tool for economic and social revival in the aftermath of the disaster [1].
“Chef Şemse Gökalp is collecting and publishing traditional recipes to preserve the culinary heritage of Turkey's Hatay province.”
The preservation of Hatay's recipes represents a shift toward 'intangible recovery' in disaster zones. While international aid typically focuses on physical infrastructure and immediate health needs, the loss of cultural knowledge can lead to a secondary crisis of identity. By archiving these traditions, the community creates a psychological anchor that aids in social cohesion during long-term reconstruction.
