The Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards were presented for the seventh time.

The 7th Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards, organized by the Culinary Friends Association, were presented at a ceremony held at the Four Seasons Hotel Sultanahmet, featuring twelve main categories and two special awards.

The Culinary Friends Association, the oldest and most established non-governmental organization in Türkiye operating in the field of gastronomy, celebrated its 35th anniversary and held its 7th Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards Ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet. The ceremony, attended by leading figures from the world of gastronomy, members of the press, and opinion leaders, took place on January 14, 2026.

Launched in 2018 by the Culinary Friends Association in line with its founding goals, the Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards, encompassing all components of the food and beverage sector and aiming to raise the bar in the field of gastronomy by supporting successful individuals and organizations, found their recipients in twelve main categories and two special awards.

The winners of the 7th Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards are listed as follows:

1. Turkish Chef of the Year: Burçak Kazdal

2. Foreign Chef of the Year: Shunichi Horikoshi

3. Young Chef of the Year: Volkan Özkur

4. Pastry Chef of the Year: Merve Burcu Akbulut

5. Traditional Restaurant of the Year: Kuşhane, Van

6. International Concept Restaurant of the Year: Madhu's, Istanbul

7. Traditional Restaurant of the Year Award for Best Single Product: Kısmet Pide, Nazilli

8. Patisserie or Dessert House of the Year: Ulus Patisserie, Bursa

9. Product Sales Point of the Year (Food & Beverage): Kozmaoğlu-İdeal Salam, Istanbul

10. Gastronomy Book of the Year: The History of Forty-Layer Baklava - Priscilla Mary Işın, Burak Onaran - Can Yayınları Mundi Kitap

11. Digital Publication of the Year: Kısık Ateş Website

12. Service Award of the Year: Lokanta By Divan, Istanbul

The Jury Special Award was presented to Üç Yıldız Şekerleme, a company that has maintained its presence in Beyoğlu since 1926, representing a long-standing tradition. Celebrating its centenary this year, Üç Yıldız Şekerleme continues to be the first name that comes to mind in the confectionery sector. The award was received by Altuğ Dörtler, representing the third generation of the family.

This year , the Tuğrul Şavkay Achievement Award was presented to two distinguished individuals. Professor Günay Kut, who has dedicated many years to uncovering the roots of our culinary culture, and culinary culture researcher Nevin Halıcı were deemed worthy of this award. Nevin Halıcı, co-organizer of the International Food Congresses held in Konya for ten years starting in 1985, and author of numerous articles, papers, and books, primarily focusing on Konya, Central Anatolia, and Sufi cuisine, and Günay Kut, who has dedicated himself to translating written works on our culinary history into Turkish and publishing his articles in book form, received their awards from Ahmet Örs, Honorary President of the Culinary Friends Association.

In his speech at the Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards ceremony, the President of the Culinary Friends Association Esin Sungur stated: “We are truly pleased that the Golden Spoon Awards are being presented in 2026, the year we celebrate our association's 35th anniversary. In our gastronomic world, which is often the subject of debate, we are proud that our association, which has been working in this field for many years and acts with a true sense of community, continues this award program, which serves as an impartial point of reference encompassing all components of the gastronomy field. At this point, we would like to thank our members, supporters, and all our friends who share a table with us and who do not hesitate to contribute to civil society.”

In an environment where agriculture, local production, and producers are slipping away from us, we cannot talk about sustainable progress in gastronomy and food security. The menu prepared by Executive Chef Özgür Üstün for this year's ceremony, based on the overall approach of Avlu restaurant and with 70% of its product suppliers being small producers, social enterprises, and women's cooperatives, was perfectly in line with this perspective. Our greatest wish is for such initiatives to become widespread and for the entire sector to focus on this issue to ensure the sustainability of our culinary richness. From chefs to restaurant owners, from sales points to those producing in the cultural field, we must all work together to pursue our land and our products, and strive to create a snowball effect from this seed. We will carry out our 35th-year activities with the aim of contributing to the future of our cuisine by serving this purpose.”