The "Culinary History Book" of the Karatay Municipality Receives Global Recognition

With its efforts in cultural municipalism aimed at preserving its ancient past and carrying it into the future, the Karatay Municipality has received a prestigious award with the book “Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük; 10,000 Years of Culinary Culture,” which covers the culinary culture of Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük, cooking and preservation methods, and other living conditions of the era. The book was deemed worthy of the "Best of the Best" award in the "Food Culture" category for the years 1995-2025.

Published under Karatay Municipality Cultural Publications, the book titled “Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük; 10,000 Years of Culinary Culture" not only explores the culinary culture of Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük, but also examines in detail the settlement patterns, agriculture and livestock, nutrition, and many other aspects of those periods.

With this work, which has shaped the evolution of culinary arts and gastronomy publishing, Chef Ulaş Tekerkaya has been invited to the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, which will bring together the most distinguished chefs, writers, and visionaries and will be held between 26-30 November 2025. At the event to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tekerkaya was deemed worthy of the "Best of the Best” award in the "Food Culture" category for the years 1995– 2025 for this unique work.

Stating that this award is not a personal achievement, Chef Ulaş Tekerkaya said that, "This success is the shared pride of everyone who is devoted to carrying Anatolia's 10,000-year-old culture into the future. Our journey, which began with the 'Best of the World' award in Sweden in 2022, will be crowned with the 'Best of the Best' in Riyadh in November 2025. I am eager to share the joy of receiving this wonderful award on behalf of my country and our culture.”

Ulaş Tekerkaya continued, "I extend my sincere gratitude to Karatay Mayor Mr. Hasan Kılca and his valuable team for their support in making this significant achievement possible. I also wholeheartedly thank my editor Dr. Mustafa Akturfan, Prof. Dr. Ümit Sormaz, Archaeologist Numan Çakmak, the excavation teams of Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük, and all friends who supported me with their contribution, knowledge, and efforts during the preparation of the book." 

THIS AWARD IS THE MOST CONCRETE PROOF THAT ANATOLIA IS THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATIONS

Karatay Mayor Hasan Kılca stated that "the book is a unique resource for both our country and the science of gastronomy, adding that with "Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük; 10,000 Years of Culinary Culture" we aim to carry the culinary heritage of these lands into the future.”

Mayor Hasan Kılca said that "The work which is presented to Konya's cultural and culinary memory is also very valuable for us. As a reflection of our municipality's appreciation for our cultural heritage, our book titled ‘Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük; 10,000 Years of Culinary Culture' has been awarded a very prestigious international prize.

As the Karatay Municipality, we do not see municipal work merely as infrastructure and superstructure services. One of our fundamental duties is to preserve, maintain, and pass on to future generations the ancient past upon which these lands are built. With this understanding, we documented the thousands-year-old culinary culture of Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük, located within our district and shedding light on human history. This award is the most concrete proof that Anatolia is the cradle of civilizations. The work, prepared with great effort and dedication, received the 'Best of the Best' award in the 'Food Culture' category for the years 1995–2025.

This award is not just an achievement for a single book; it is the result of the respect we show toward the history and culture of Karatay, our Konya, and all of Anatolia. I thank Chef Ulaş Tekerkaya for giving us this pride.”