The latest edition of the Gault&Millau Türkiye Signature Dining Experience was held on 18 July at Değirmen Restaurant, hosted by Club Marvy. The exclusive menu, created by Tekuna Gachechiladze from Georgia together with Ahmet Güzelyağdöken, Founder & Chef of Balmumu Dükkan Lokanta and Değirmen Restaurant, and Çiğdem Seferoğlu, Founder & Chef of Hodan, brought together the seasonal flavors of the Aegean with the culinary traditions of different cultures, welcoming distinguished names from the gastronomic world.
Continuing its Signature Dining Experience series, Gault&Millau Türkiye once again united international chefs with the unique gastronomic identity of a remarkable destination. Inspired by the Aegean’s rich local production culture, the evening celebrated the culinary heritage of Anatolia and Georgia through contemporary interpretations presented in a single collaborative menu.
Three Chefs, Three Culinary Stories
At the heart of the evening was a menu created exclusively for this Signature Dining Experience.
Tekuna Gachechiladze, Founder & Chef of Littera and recipient of 3 Toques from Gault&Millau Georgia, joined Ahmet Güzelyağdöken, Founder & Chef of Balmumu Dükkan Lokanta and Değirmen Restaurant, awarded 1 Toque by Gault&Millau Türkiye, and Çiğdem Seferoğlu, Founder & Chef of Hodan, awarded 2 Toques by Gault&Millau Türkiye, to transform their individual culinary memories into a shared gastronomic narrative.
From Local Producers to the Table
Set within Club Marvy’s nature-inspired surroundings, the program began with a welcome cocktail, where guests gathered to enjoy the distinctive atmosphere of the Aegean before moving to Değirmen Restaurant for the Signature Dining Experience dinner.
Prepared exclusively for this evening by the three award-winning chefs, the menu celebrated the meeting of different culinary cultures. Daily seafood sourced directly from the Özdere Fish Auction, seasonal ingredients from the Selçuk region, and carefully selected local produce were reimagined through the culinary traditions of Anatolia, the Aegean, and Georgia.
The experience opened with an amuse-bouche by Tekuna Gachechiladze. It was followed by Çiğdem Seferoğlu’s daily catch from the Özdere Fish Auction, paired with Meyer lemon and isot oil, Tekuna Gachechiladze’s Crispy Artichoke Hearts served with walnut sauce and red adjika, and Ahmet Güzelyağdöken’s daily market-inspired creation, shaped by the freshest ingredients available from the local market and fish auction.
Among the warm courses, Çiğdem Seferoğlu’s Baby Squid interpretation and Ahmet Güzelyağdöken’s combination of sea beans, warm fish milt, and squid roe stood out. For the main courses, Tekuna Gachechiladze presented Georgian-style quail served on a bed of Shila mushrooms, while Ahmet Güzelyağdöken served smoked lamb neck wrapped in crispy paşa pastry. The evening concluded with Çiğdem Seferoğlu’s dessert featuring pistachio ice cream, crispy baklava layers, and Memecik olive oil.
Centered around seasonal ingredients sourced from local producers, the menu reinterpreted the shared culinary values of Anatolia, the Aegean, and Georgia through contemporary techniques, making it one of the most distinctive editions of the Signature Dining Experience series.
The Gault&Millau Türkiye Tour Continues
Bringing together leading figures from the worlds of gastronomy, media, business, and society at Club Marvy, the evening once again demonstrated how different culinary traditions can come together to create an inspiring new gastronomic story through collaboration.
Organized by Sözen Group, the official representative of Gault&Millau Türkiye, the Signature Dining Experience series will continue throughout the year, bringing together leading chefs at exceptional destinations across Türkiye.
Hosted by Club Marvy, the event was presented in collaboration with Coca-Cola İçecek, Kütahya Porselen, LAV Horeca, 7 Bilgeler, and Değirmen Restaurant.
