Faculty of Applied Sciences at Özyeğin University Hosts Seminar and Dinner Themed “Restaurants of the Republican Era”

As part of both the Republic’s 100th-year and Özyeğin University’s 15th-year celebrations, the Faculty of Applied Sciences organized a seminar titled “Restaurants of the Republican Era” on December 13, 2023, as part of an album-like book project featuring 15 significant milestones in Turkish tourism and gastronomy history. The seminar occurred at the Center of Excellence, followed by a cocktail party and a dinner themed “A Restaurant of the Republican Era: Karpiç.”

Moderated by Associate Professor Özge Samancı, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department Head, the “Restaurants of the Republican Era” seminar began at 3:30 PM. The guest speaker for the workshop was Artun Ünsal, a retired professor from the Department of Political Science at Galatasaray University renowned for his contributions to gastronomic literature. In his speech, Professor Ünsal explored the historical evolution of restaurants in Istanbul and Ankara from the early years of the Republic. The seminar included a cocktail party and a dinner themed “A Restaurant of the Republican Era: Karpiç.” Guided by the expertise of Le Cordon Bleu Turkey chefs, students of the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department at Özyeğin University recreated an invitation menu served at Karpiç on December 13, 1948. A legendary establishment that etched an indelible mark in Ankara’s history during the formative years of the Republic and cherished by Atatürk himself, Karpiç saw its gastronomic legacy revived after 75 years.

About Karpiç Restaurant:

Karpiç is renowned as the first modern restaurant in Ankara, the capital city of the Turkish Republic. In 1928, George Karpovitch, an immigrant from Imperial Russia, laid the foundation for what would become a culinary landmark in Ulus, Ankara. Originally named “Şölen,” the restaurant was later turned into “Şehir Restaurant” before it was to be renamed again as Karpiç upon Atatürk’s suggestion. Over the years, Karpiç Restaurant became a prestigious culinary haven offering Western culinary culture infused with Russian flavors to members of the Parliament, bureaucrats, and prominent figures in the capital. After Father Karpiç’s passing in 1953, the restaurant remained open for nine more years until its closure in 1962.