Students of Eastern Mediterranean University Tourism Faculty, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department are quite excited to hear the news of prominent chefs teaching in their faculty. The famous chefs, who are all experts in their own fields, have started to teach in EMU during the 2018-2019 Academic Year Spring Semester. Chef Murat Bozok, who worked for two years with Chef Gordon Ramsay, a world-famous professional who has a total of 13 Michelin Stars worldwide, received a proposal to work in France from famous French Chef Joel Robuchon, master of Gordon Ramsay who tallied up the highest number of Michelin Stars in the world. Bozok then returned to Turkey and opened his own restaurant called “Mimolett”. Currently, along with his TV program “Signature Dishes”, Bozok provides consultancy services to many different restaurants. During the 2018-2019 Academic Year Spring Semester, Bozok will be sharing his expertise and accumulation with the students of EMU.
Leaders of their Chosen Fields
Chef Fikret Özdemir is another famous professional who will be teaching in EMU. Fikret Özdemir, who started his professional career in Swiss Restaurant Du Chato, after studying for 18 months in gastronomy in France, worked as a culinary chef in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Istanbul branches of Marriott Hotel chains. Özdemir also worked at Sheraton Grand Istanbul Ataşehir branch as a chef, culinary chef and executive chef. Özdemir, who speaks French, Portugese, German and English, has also authored a cookbook titled “A Journey of Taste and Culture from Kahramanmaraş to Lisbon”.
Chef Tolgar Mireli, who served in the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at EMU Tourism Faculty in the past, is at again EMU to offer courses after a short break. He took up his first task in a 7-star hotel in Dubai called Al Muntaha by Burj Al Arab Hotel. He then worked with 2 Michelin star Chef Björn Alexander Panek for two years and also had a chance to work with 3-Michelin star Chef Michel Roux in Le Gavorche in London. He then had a chance to work with one Michelin star Chef Gary Danko in San Fransisco for a period of one year and then he worked in Frankfurt as a Sous-Chef in Le Val d’Or and Bistro d’Or restaurants of Johann Lafer, Europe's most famous TV chef. At present, he is still involved in the preparations for the opening of his own restaurant in Turkey.
Award-Winning Chef in EMU, too
Yigit Zeyneloglu, the famous Pastry Chef who has received many national and international awards, worked at prestigious hotels such as Claridge’s in London. In 2007, after moving his pastry center to his own gardened building located on Suleyman Demirel boulevard in Adana, his brand was renamed “Pastabahçesi”. Award-winning Chef Yiğit Zeyneloğlu will be sharing his expertise and experiences with the students of EMU.
Another notable name to offer academic services at the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department is Gökmen Sözen. As the FoodinLife Gastronomy Publications’ Editor-in-Chief, Sözen worked with Turkey’s most important firms as a food and gastronomy photographer. As the founder of “Gastromasa”, a conference which has taken its place among the best 10 conferences worldwide, Sözen is famous for attracting international chefs and media to Turkey. Chefs from 16 Michelin-starred restaurants participated in the 4th Gastromasa Conference which took place in 2018.
