BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 30. A presentation of Karabakh cuisine dishes was held at the Baku restaurant Shusha Qalasi for the participants and judges of the international championship Pastry & Bakery Chefs Baku Cup 2025 in the atmosphere of Azerbaijani hospitality and culinary mastery, Trend reports.
The championship was organized in the country for the first time by the Guild of Chefs of Azerbaijan, the Baku Association of Chefs, and the DIYAR.AZ project "Gastronomic Map of Azerbaijan."
Guests from Türkiye, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and other countries were treated not just to dinner but to a real journey into the taste palette of Karabakh: dishes whose recipes are passed down from generation to generation, a demonstration of culinary techniques, and the history of each treat—all this created a deep and multi-layered picture of the culinary tradition of the region.
A special moment of the evening was the presentation of honorary titles: masters of culinary art Gabil Guliyev and Etibar Karimli were accepted into the Association of Chefs of Türkiye.
"Karabakh cuisine is a reflection of the cultural memory of Azerbaijan. It has absorbed everything: geography, history, and national character. Preserving and popularizing this cuisine means preserving our identity," said Karimli.
The guests included the chairman of the Denizli Chefs Association (Türkiye), Suleyman Kursak, who expressed his admiration.
"Karabakh dishes are a real art. I am pleased to be part of this event and present my signature gastronomic program. At the master class, I will show how to combine traditions and modern technologies of Turkish cuisine," he said.
The chairman of the Guild of Chefs of Azerbaijan and the Baku Chefs Association, international master Ilkin Akbarzade, noted that the Pastry & Bakery Chefs Baku Cup 2025 championship itself, which brought together professional chefs, confectioners, and students of specialized universities, has become an international arena for the exchange of experience and creative inspiration.
"We are creating a platform where talents can make a name for themselves. Domestic and foreign masters demonstrate not only the technique but also the philosophy of their cuisine," he added.
The participants will compete in the following categories: "National Sweets Table," "Art Class (Sweets and Chocolate Products)," "Wedding Cake," "The Art of Baking," and "Compositions of Fruit and Vegetable Carvings."
The panel of judges will be represented by leading experts from different countries—Suleyman Kursak (Türkiye), Metin Ayhan (Türkiye), Shahid Miyan (Pakistan), Hussein Shipal (Türkiye), Camil Fernando (Qatar), Hoshan Desilva (UAE), Don David (Azerbaijan), and Bahruz Galbinur (Azerbaijan).
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