08.07.2026 16:40
Chef Hüseyin Okatan told Haberler.com about the behind-the-scenes of the dishes that left their mark on the NATO summit and delighted the guests' palates. The famous chef, who worked day and night with a team of 50 people, stated that they hosted world leaders with nearly 20 desserts ranging from baklava to ashura and a rich menu. Okatan, expressing that they received great acclaim globally and felt proud, said, "We offered our guests dishes from all over Turkey."
At the historic NATO Summit, which drew the world's attention, Turkish cuisine, presented to leaders and participants, garnered great interest. In the kitchen area, which was the most talked about and almost the "apple of the eye" of the summit, Turkish flavors were showcased to the world. Chef Hüseyin Okatan, who left his mark on the summit with his successful performance, told Haberler.com about his intense work in the kitchen and his very special dessert varieties.
"WE HAVE INTRODUCED TURKISH FLAVORS TO THE WORLD"
Stating that they worked very intensively throughout the summit, Chef Hüseyin Okatan expressed that they were extremely pleased with the feedback they received. Okatan said, "This is entirely a kitchen. We have showcased and introduced Turkish cuisine and Turkish flavors to the world. Our feedback is really good, we receive a lot of praise. There is no distinction; all our flavors, all our dishes receive great appreciation."
WORKING DAY AND NIGHT WITH A HUGE TEAM OF 50
The famous chef, emphasizing that a huge team works behind the scenes to offer fresh and different flavors to summit participants at all times, described the menu routine with these words:
"Here, we put in effort with a team of 50 people. We have separate preparations every day, even every meal. Our morning breakfast, lunch buffet, and evening buffet are all prepared completely separately and specially."
20 TYPES OF DESSERTS FROM BAKLAVA TO ASHURE
Okatan, stating that the dessert buffet prepared especially for the summit was like a flavor feast, said there were 15-20 types of desserts in the buffet. In response to the reporter's question, "Is there a special dessert for the summit, such as baklava?" Okatan, revealing the richness of the buffet, listed the following varieties:
"We have all the special Turkish desserts for the summit. Our pistachio and walnut baklava, ashure, kadayıf, kalem sarma, bülbül yuvası, fig dessert, pumpkin dessert, and cheesecake varieties are included."
UNIQUE DISHES FROM EVERY REGION OF TURKEY
Chef Hüseyin Okatan, stating that rich options were offered not only for those wanting to taste traditional Turkish desserts but also for those seeking influences from different cultures, concluded his words by saying, "We included all of them. We worked entirely as a regional cuisine and presented dishes from every part of Turkey to our guests here."