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Chefs and culinary teams from Türkiye and across the Balkans are expected to compete in an international cooking contest in the northwestern city of Edirne, where every dish will have to feature the city's geographically indicated white cheese.
The competition will take place as part of the third "From Soil to Table Edirne Gastronomy Festival," which will run from Sept. 18 to 20 at Sogutluk Millet Bahcesi under the coordination of the Edirne Culture and Tourism Directorate.
The festival will bring together chefs, producers and representatives of local cuisine while introducing visitors to Edirne's food culture and regional products.
High school and university teams from Türkiye and Balkan countries, as well as professional and amateur chefs, are expected to join the International Cooking Competition.
Under this year's rules, every dish prepared for the contest must include Edirne white cheese, the main theme of the festival and one of the city's geographically indicated products, meaning it is officially registered as a specialty associated with its place of origin.
Participants will be asked to work the cheese into recipes inspired by different culinary traditions before presenting their dishes to the jury.
Organizers aim to show how Edirne white cheese can be used across different cuisines, raise its recognition in Türkiye and abroad, and strengthen gastronomic ties between Türkiye and the Balkan countries.
Applications for the competition will remain open until Sept. 16 through agafed.org.
Beyond the competition, the three-day program will include talks, workshops, cooking demonstrations, contests and other events centered on Edirne's culinary heritage.
This year's festival will particularly focus on the city's cheesemaking tradition, setting out the process from milk production to the moment the cheese reaches the table and explaining the place of white cheese in local culture.
Edirne white cheese is produced using milk obtained from sheep, goats and cows raised in the region. Traditional production uses only milk, starter culture and salt, with no additives included.
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