The sixth stop of Gault&Millau Türkiye’s 2026 Signature Dining Experience series, bringing together gastronomy, destination, culture and experience, took place at Syma Restaurant at The Casa Cala Bodrum. On the evening of September 2, Maksut Aşkar, Founder & Chef of Neolokal and recipient of 3 Gault&Millau Toques; Zeynep Pınar Taşdemir, Founder & Chef of Araka and recipient of 3 Gault&Millau Toques; and Osman Serdaroğlu, Founder & Chef of Teruar Urla and recipient of 3 Gault&Millau Toques, came together in the same kitchen for a collaborative menu created exclusively for the evening.
Gault&Millau Türkiye continued its Signature Dining Experience series, which brings award-winning chefs and distinctive culinary experiences to Türkiye’s leading gastronomy destinations, with a special dinner at Syma Restaurant at The Casa Cala Bodrum.
Hosted by The Casa Cala Bodrum on September 2, the sixth gathering of the 2026 season brought together three leading chefs known for their distinctive culinary approaches on Türkiye’s gastronomy scene.
Maksut Aşkar, Founder & Chef of Neolokal and recipient of 3 Gault&Millau Toques; Zeynep Pınar Taşdemir, Founder & Chef of Araka and recipient of 3 Gault&Millau Toques; and Osman Serdaroğlu, Founder & Chef of Teruar Urla and recipient of 3 Gault&Millau Toques, combined their individual culinary identities, seasonal perspectives and connection to ingredients from different regions in a collaborative menu created exclusively for the evening.
Three Chefs, One Collaborative Signature
Maksut Aşkar, who reinterprets Anatolia’s culinary heritage through a contemporary gastronomic language at Neolokal; Zeynep Pınar Taşdemir, whose cuisine at Araka is shaped around seasonality and ingredients; and Osman Serdaroğlu, whose approach at Teruar Urla is deeply connected to the produce and character of its surrounding geography, came together at The Casa Cala Bodrum to create a shared culinary narrative.
Highlighting ingredients sourced from across Anatolia, the menu brought together a broad culinary geography stretching from Mersin to Urla, Milas to Samandağ, and Antakya to Bodrum and Karaburun.
The evening began with Pressed Mersin Red Shrimp, served with pickle brine and spring onion, while Urla globe artichoke was paired with peas, carrots, potatoes and orange. Sea asparagus was accompanied by smoked citrus, while fava was prepared with broad beans, dill, red onion, Milas olive oil and Samandağ pomegranate molasses. The Antakya Ezmesi combined sürk cheese, Antakya salted yoghurt and zahter, while Chef Osman Serdaroğlu’s Smoked Leerfish was complemented by green beans and a Bodrum mandarin sauce.
In the regional flavours section, open-fire roasted vegetables were prepared with Samandağ pomegranate molasses, aubergine, peppers, parsley and tomatoes, while village tomatoes were served with red onion, vinegar, Taşköprü garlic and Milas olive oil.
The salad selection featured Smoked Octopus with smoked peppers, wild purslane, fennel and Milas olive oil. Chef Zeynep Pınar Taşdemir’s Grilled Karaburun Baby Squid was paired with cibes greens and citrus mustard.
Following the warm starters, the main course featured Chef Maksut Aşkar’s Shrimp, served with Thracian couscous and Taşlıca gambilya, bringing together distinctive Anatolian ingredients on a single plate.
The evening concluded on a sweet note with Burnt Tahini, prepared with Antalya tahini and forest berries, followed by Pistachio Antep Baklava and fruit.
The Flavours of Anatolia Meet at The Casa Cala Bodrum
One of the defining elements of the menu created for The Casa Cala Bodrum was its focus on ingredients sourced from different regions of Türkiye, bringing diverse local products together within a single gastronomic experience.
Mersin red shrimp, Urla globe artichoke, Milas olive oil, Samandağ pomegranate molasses, Antakya salted yoghurt, sürk cheese, zahter, Bodrum mandarin, Taşköprü garlic, Karaburun baby squid, Thracian couscous, Taşlıca gambilya and Antalya tahini were reinterpreted through the distinctive culinary perspectives of the three chefs.
With local ingredients and regional production cultures at its core, the menu brought the Signature Dining Experience philosophy of connecting different culinary identities and geographies around the same table to Bodrum.
The Signature Dining Experience Journey Continues in Bodrum
Since last season, the Gault&Millau Türkiye Signature Dining Experience series has brought together leading names from Türkiye and the international gastronomy scene through special gatherings across the country’s prominent culinary destinations.
The journey began in 2025 with Teruar Urla, Karma Bodrum, OD Urla and Maçakızı Bodrum, and continued in the 2026 season with Ruins Luxury Resort, WAM by Karma Bodrum, Club Marvy and The Peninsula Istanbul.
As the host of the sixth gathering of the 2026 season, The Casa Cala Bodrum brought together Maksut Aşkar, Zeynep Pınar Taşdemir and Osman Serdaroğlu — each a recipient of 3 Gault&Millau Toques — for a collaborative menu, marking the latest Bodrum chapter of the Signature Dining Experience journey.
Organised by Sözen Group, the Official Representative of Gault&Millau Türkiye, the Signature Dining Experience series continues to bring together diverse culinary cultures, award-winning chefs and Türkiye’s leading gastronomy destinations through distinctive dining experiences.
