Director's Message

Dear Students,

Today, gastronomy is evolving beyond the mere practice of preparing and presenting food into a dynamic and multidisciplinary field that brings together science, culture, art, design, technology, management, and responsible production. As the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at İzmir University of Economics, we approach gastronomy from this broad perspective and aim to educate professionals who understand and question the changing world, generate innovation, and have the ability to shape the future of gastronomy.

We believe that gastronomy education is not limited to the technical skills acquired in the kitchen. A good gastronomy professional should know the product, understand science, be able to interpret culture, think creatively, utilize technology, and develop solutions. In line with this approach, we have structured our educational program around a framework that integrates theoretical knowledge with practice while fostering our students’ analytical and creative thinking skills.

With our distinguished academic staff, we bring together various disciplines, including culinary practices, food science, food and beverage management, gastronomy culture, and the effective use of resources. We value enabling our students to develop a holistic perspective on gastronomy by drawing on different disciplines and to use the knowledge they acquire to develop creative solutions to real-world problems.

Practice, research, and interaction with the industry hold an important place in our department’s educational approach. We aim for our students not only to adapt to the existing world of gastronomy but also to contribute to its development. Therefore, through industry collaborations, practical work, project-based learning, and research activities, we provide our students with an educational environment where they can integrate their professional experiences with academic knowledge.

We also regard gastronomy as a powerful tool for preserving cultural heritage and carrying it into the future. We place great importance on understanding Anatolia’s rich gastronomic heritage and reinterpreting local products, traditional knowledge, and regional cuisines through contemporary approaches. At the same time, sustainable production and consumption, the effective use of local resources, the reduction of food waste, and the development of innovative solutions for the future of gastronomy are integral parts of our educational philosophy.

We do not limit our graduates’ career opportunities to becoming chefs in traditional kitchens or working in food and beverage businesses. Rather, we aim to equip them with the knowledge and skills to build their own distinctive career paths in diverse fields such as food and beverage management, research and development (R&D), entrepreneurship, gastronomic tourism, academia, and creative industries.

We believe that your university years are not merely a period of acquiring a profession, but a transformative process in which you will discover yourselves, understand the world, and develop your own ideas. Be curious, question, experiment, do not be afraid of making mistakes, and draw inspiration from different disciplines. Because the future of gastronomy will be shaped not only by the knowledge we have today, but by people who can ask new questions and generate new ideas.

As the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at İzmir University of Economics, we are committed to educating you as creative, research-oriented professionals who uphold ethical values, value sustainability, respect cultural heritage, and are capable of making their mark on the global gastronomy world.

We look forward to discovering and shaping the future of gastronomy together…

Prof. Dr. Seda GENÇ