27 Sep Matbah-ı Amire Visit
On Friday, September 27, the Members of Gastronomic Society of Türkiye visited the Matbah-ı Âmire, where the intricacies of the Ottoman Palace Kitchen have been preserved over the years, located in the second courtyard of Topkapi Palace, famous for its magnificent chimneys. Led by our esteemed member, Assoc. Prof. Özge Samancı, who is the Head of the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department at Özyeğin University and an expert in Ottoman and Turkish culinary history, the Members of Gastronomic Society of Türkiye left Matbah-ı Âmire with valuable insights about the palace kitchen.
The visit included the ‘tablakarlar’ who carried food on trays above their heads, the coppersmiths who tin the trays, the kitchen where only the sultan’s meals were prepared, and the ‘helvahane’, which has been preserved authentically to this day. While exploring Matbah-ı Amire, they also discussed the products coming from all over the empire, the presentation of jams and coffee, and the transition from floor seating to table dining.
Following this special tour, a menu specially prepared by Chef Özgür Üstün at the Avlu restaurant of the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet was tasted. The five-course menu, featuring Meat Kısır, İzmir Artichoke Stuffed, Seafood-Stuffed Sea Bream, Lamb Karski, and Fig with Fresh Mulberry and White Chocolate, received great acclaim from the Members of Gastronomic Society of Türkiye for both the harmony of flavors and the menu planning, as well as each dish’s taste. The friends’ visit to Topkapi Palace concluded with a visit to the Turing Century-Old Brands Memory House.
