We take a look at local brands and names that focus on sustainability for #changeforbetter.
In our interview for the Saatolog 2021-22 issue, Maksut Aşkar said that he does not like the word “organic”. According to Aşkar, what we call organic were food ingredients that we didn’t need to call organic 40 years ago. We approach the concept of sustainability, which we hear almost everywhere today and which we tend to ignore because it is used so frequently, just as Aşkar approaches the organic one. The concept of sustainability, which we can fit many definitions into and which finds its place in different forms in almost every sector, is an effort to preserve the world we have today in its simplest form, without further devastation.
Individually, many of us are trying to reduce our carbon footprint, increasing our plant-based diet to both feel better for our bodies and reduce environmental damage. We check whether the cosmetic products we buy have been tested on animals, and we prefer eco-friendly brands for our clothing purchases. The evolution of our individual habits in this direction also affects the attitudes of private capital; Companies are no longer indifferent to the climate crisis, they integrate sustainability into their company policies. So, who is doing what for sustainability in Turkey today?
Sustainable Cuisine: Neolokal and TURK
Interpreting the traditional Anatolian cuisine with modern techniques, Neolokal is one of the first local restaurants to use ingredients that it knows the source of on its plates. The kitchen, which cooks the food with ingredients it knows to be good, clean and fair, does not neglect to support the farmers who produce it. The transmission of tradition is also a kind of sustainability concern; This kitchen under the management of Aşkar also keeps the traditional tastes of Anatolian lands on their plates, which are about to disappear. TURK, under the management of Fatih Tutak, is another restaurant that aims to keep the tradition alive and also has sustainable concerns. Inspired by memories and traditions on its plates, the restaurant also works with local producers to establish a sustainable cycle.
Sustainable Agriculture: Urban Garden
Crops from clean and organic soils are the first stone of the cycle for a sustainable kitchen. Beyhan Uzunçarşılı, the founder of Urban Garden, is one of the first names in the city to practice pure and clean agriculture. Uzunçarşılı produces fresh fruits and vegetables in its own garden at Urban Garden and grows fruits and vegetables only in season.
