There is Equality in the Kitchen

Metro Turkey, operating as one of the closest business partners in the food and beverage sector in our country, conducts its activities with an understanding of equality, diversity, and inclusion. It carries out many initiatives to support women employees and ensure equal opportunities in both the retail sector and professional kitchens. Prioritizing collaboration with and contributing to the development of female chefs within its ecosystem , Metro Turkey organized a special iftar dinner to highlight the importance of equality in professional kitchens and to encourage young female chefs, who represent the future of Turkish cuisine. At the iftar dinner, prepared by Chef Sinem Özler, a successful role model who has two restaurants she co-owns and heads and which are included in the Michelin Guide, Metro Turkey showcased the power of women in the kitchen and the difference they make when working together.

Young female chefs who worked hard to prepare the menu as guests in Seraf's kitchen; Aslı Yüksel from Apartıman Yeniköy, Bahar Karadaş from Muutto, Elçin Erik from Neolokal, Hale Berra Tüysüz from Nicole, Gökçe Gündemir from Seraf's own kitchen and Buse Uca Aydın, winner of the Special Jury Award of the 35 Chefs Under 3 Competition, shared their experiences with the guests by telling them about the new techniques and recipes they learned.

“We Address Equality in a Way That Will Create an Impact on Our Entire Ecosystem”

At the iftar dinner held in Seraf Valley, Metro Turkey CEO David Antunes said, “As Metro Turkey, we are carrying out many initiatives to develop the gastronomy sector and provide better service and solutions. While doing these, we are also aware of our responsibilities. Equal opportunity is one of them. We address equality not only within our own organization but also in a way that will create an impact throughout our entire ecosystem. In this regard, we work with women entrepreneurs and women's cooperatives, and we prioritize collaborations with our female chefs, who are among the most important players in our ecosystem. We wanted to take International Women's Day as an opportunity to draw attention to the importance of this equality once again.”

“We believe that together we can bring equality to our kitchen and to all areas of life”

Sevda Çetinkaya, Metro Turkey Board Member and Human Resources & Culture Director, stated that Metro Turkey, with approximately 1.400 female employees, is one of the leading companies in our country in terms of gender equality . She said , “One out of every three of our colleagues is a woman, and 40% of our Board of Directors members are women. We are creating and developing supportive practices to provide equal opportunities for women to take a more active role in business life. One of the most important principles we have undertaken in this regard is our 'Equality in Our Kitchen' cultural change movement, which is part of our 'Gender Equality' initiative. Our main goal here is to offer equal opportunities in our workplaces without gender discrimination. With our 'There is no gender in work' approach, we offer leadership programs that will develop women not only in the workplace but also in managerial roles, encouraging them to take on top positions. While doing this in our own work environment, we also make it a principle to support women in the entire ecosystem we are in. We believe that together we will change the male figure that most people envision as a prototype when they think of a chef.” We believe that we can bring equality together, both to our kitchens and to every aspect of life,” he said.

“The Whole World Needs the Unifying Power of Women”

Sinem Özler, chef and partner of Seraf Restaurants, emphasized that Turkish cuisine has been passed down from mothers to daughters for generations and highlighted the importance of young women chefs embracing this ancient heritage. She stated, “What we have learned from women who have kept local cuisine alive for centuries has given us both new flavors and ingredients waiting to be discovered. By passing on this valuable knowledge and experience to new generations in a way they can also embrace, we want to contribute to the preservation and transmission of culinary traditions that are on the verge of disappearing. Traditional cooking principles and techniques enrich not only the flavor of a dish but also its nutritional value and cultural significance. We believe that these methods, beyond preserving the past, will support the continuity of a sustainable and healthy culinary culture. We will continue to work to inspire our young women chefs and perhaps illuminate their paths with a perspective they may never have considered before. The whole world needs the unifying power of women.”

Source: HORECA TREND and Metro Turkey