International Gastronomy Film Festival Takes Stage in London

The International Gastronomy Film Festival (UGFF), a meeting point of gastronomy and cinema, will hold its first international event titled "New Wave Anatolian Cuisine in London" on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Birkbeck University of London.

International Gastronomy Film Festival to be held in London The event will be realized through a collaboration between the International Gastronomy Film Festival and academic partners in the United Kingdom. It will bring together researchers, cultural producers, and professionals working at the intersection of gastronomy, culture, and public dialogue.

Gastronomy, Cinema and Academia Meet in London

The International Gastronomy Film Festival will kick off its special event in London with a panel discussion titled “The Transformation of Anatolian Cuisine in London,” featuring Chef and Food Writer Melek Erdal, Founder of Mangal 2 Restaurant Ferhat Dirik, National Geographic Travel and Food Writer Berkok Yüksel, and Manchester University Lecturer İsmail Ertürk.

Later in the day, screenings will take place for the films "Above Ground – Underground," directed by Cenk Demirkıran; "Those Who Add Color to Their Land," directed by Selin Aktaş; and "Wealth Brought by Migration: Kars Gravyeri," directed by Barış Duran.

Following the screenings, a panel discussion titled “Diaspora Cuisines and London Culinary Culture” will be held. Participants will include Prof. Panikos Panayi, known for his expertise on the history and sociology of ethnic cuisines in the UK; Claudia Roden, one of the world's leading food writers on Middle Eastern cuisines; Dr. Neşe Ceren Tosun, an academic specializing in the transformation of Anatolian cuisine in London; and Prof. Alejandro Colás, an expert in International Politics and Sociology from Birkbeck, University of London.

The event will conclude with a dinner for invited guests at Tas Restaurant in the evening.

International Gastronomy Film Festival'Gülper Ergün, founder of [Name of the organization/institution], İsmail Ertürk, lecturer at the University of Manchester, Prof. Alejandro Colás, Professor of International Relations at Birkbeck University of London, and Dr. Jason Edwards, Senior Lecturer at the School of Social Sciences, are among those who contributed to the event.