Due to the “Doner Kebab”… “diplomatic battle” between Türkiye and Germany

The favored dish of Turkish origin, “Doner”, which may be very well-known in Europe, is the middle of a “culinary and diplomatic battle” between Ankara and Berlin.

Final April, the Worldwide Donor Federation (Udofed), which is predicated in Istanbul, submitted a request to the European Fee to guard the donor (kebab) as a “certificated particular conventional dish.”

The Turkish group’s request specified the required quantity of every ingredient, the kind of meat that’s stacked and threaded on the rotating skewer on the vertical grill, the spices which can be added, and the thickness of the knife that’s used. used to chop skinny slices of it. meat when cooked, similar to Arabic shawarma.

The Worldwide Donor Federation appeared to need to outline strictly and exactly the circumstances for utilizing the adjective “Doner”.

This step has not been glad in Germany, the place the donor is taken into account an emblem of the Turkish neighborhood, which is especially made up of the descendants of “Gastarbeiter”, that’s, Turkish staff on had been employed by German factories within the Nineteen Sixties and Seventies.

Berlin even says that his father is likely one of the hottest variations of the maker, the one by which the meat is positioned inside a sandwich.

One of many Turkish staff in Berlin, named Kadir Nurman, “was the primary to place meat in flatbread in 1972, and created the kebab model that may be very standard in Germany ,” in keeping with what was introduced on the capital’s official web site.

German Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir, whose mother and father are Turkish immigrants, confirmed that “kebabs are a part of Germany. Everybody ought to have the ability to resolve for themselves find out how to put together and eat them right here. Instructions from Ankara will not be required. “

Sources within the ministry informed Agence France-Presse that the Turkish request raised “astonishment” in Berlin.

European regulation permits third international locations – that’s, outdoors the European Union – to use for the safety and registration of product names throughout the European Union.

Chef Birol Yağcı worries that the Turkish model “solely permits beef, lamb or rooster. “

This chef, proprietor of a restaurant within the Meringdam space, defined to Agence France-Presse, “It is totally different right here, as a result of the standard recipe is predicated on beef!”

Yagji was standing in entrance of two upright rotating donation shishas, ​​considered one of which was fabricated from turkey meat, which was additionally threatened by Turkish demand.

Yagci, who’s in his 50s, protested in opposition to the Turkish choice relating to the donation, “which is consumed everywhere in the world, and Turkey shouldn’t be in a position to dictate to others what they need to eat.” do,” expressing his willingness to vary the identify of his merchandise if essential.

The German Ministry of Agriculture believed that the “financial impression of the German meals sector can be huge” if the “misguided” and “contradictory” request of the Worldwide Donation Federation was accepted.

The German Lodge and Restaurant Affiliation additionally highlighted the dangers of “lack of readability and transparency”, “difficulties in authorized verification” and “numerous disputes sooner or later”.

Arif Kilish (39 years previous), who owns a snack bar in west Berlin, mentioned: “My clients do not need to eat lamb, as a result of it has a particular style.”

Kilic thought it was higher to vary the identify than to vary the merchandise, as a result of the purchasers of his restaurant know what they’re consuming, so long as the standard is there, no the identify does not matter!”

The Worldwide Doner Federation justified their request by citing the “Ottoman Patriarchy of Doner,” because the recipe was present in manuscripts courting again to 1546.

Germany represents two thirds of kebab gross sales in Europe, amounting to 2.4 billion euros per 12 months, in keeping with the European Union for the sector.

This meals grew to become a part of diplomatic strategies. Final April, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier took chef Arif Kilic with him on an official go to to Turkey, who’s the grandson of a Turkish immigrant.

Among the many baggage they had been carrying was a big frozen veal skewer, which was introduced at an official ceremony.

Kilic mentioned: “In Turkey, we eat doner on a plate, and I served them Berlin model, in bread with sauce, they usually favored it.”

Can there be range of kebab? The reply is that the choice is within the fingers of the European Fee, in keeping with Olof Gehl, the spokesperson answerable for agriculture within the Fee.

This week, Germany formally rejected the Turkish request. If this objection is accepted, the events may have a most of 6 months to succeed in a settlement earlier than the committee points its choice.