Food festival held amid musical performances

Islamabad Turkish ambassador Mehmet Pacaci inaugurated the Turkish Food Festival at the Serena Hotels here featuring food by noted Turkish chefs Serdar Ongel, Davut Kutlugun, Yalcin Kokmen and classical music performances by the talented trios. The event was part of the Cultural Diplomacy Initiative, which focuses on creating and cultivating diplomatic ties, and was held as a collaboration between Serena Hotels and the only 17th-century Ottoman Imperial Palace and Hotel on the Bosphorus, Ç ra an Palace, Kempinski, Istanbul. The Turkish ambassador appreciated the chefs and musicians for promoting their country’s culture and cuisine among Pakistanis and praised the Serena Hotels for supporting such an event. “This culinary art festival transports Pakistanis to Turkiye, as the Zamana Restaurant is transformed into a Turkish wonderland, to enhance the guest experience of Turkish culture and cuisine,” he said. The envoy said Turkiye and Pakistan shared a bond that dated back to 75 years of friendship and support. Otto Kurzendorfer, general manager at the Islamabad Serena Hotel, said his organisation welcomed back the top Turkish chefs for the fourth year in a row to serve many superb meals to Pakistanis. “We are happy to work with the embassy of the Republic of Turkiye on their national day and their support in holding the Fund Raising Gala Dinner to raise funds for the recent flood’s victims.” He said a total of Rs4.6 million was raised by the event, which was hosted an evening before and was attended by members of the diplomatic community, corporate sector, and business fraternity, and that amount would help provide relief to flood victims.