The winners have been announced at the two-day “Innovative Applications for Zero-Waste Kitchens in the Food and Gastronomy Sector Ideathon” organized within the scope of the European Enterprise Network (EEN) project, in cooperation with Gaziantep Chamber

 The winners have been announced at the two-day “Innovative Applications for Zero-Waste Kitchens in the Food and Gastronomy Sector Ideathon” organized within the scope of the European Enterprise Network (EEN) project, in cooperation with Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce (GCC), Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU), Gaziantep Gastronomy Academy (GAGA), Food Rescue Association (Gıda Kurtarma Derneği), and Fazla Inc.

On the first day of the event, held at Hasan Kalyoncu University, students, academics, and sector representatives came together to develop innovative solutions against food waste. HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli, GCC President of the Board Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım, and Food Rescue Association President & Fazla Deputy General Manager Berat İnci also addressed the participants with their opening speeches.

The panel titled “Innovative Applications for Zero-Waste Kitchens” was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Furkan Baltacı, Head of the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at HKU Faculty of Tourism. Speakers included Uğur Acıoğlu, Treasurer Member of the GCC Board of Directors; Dr. Fulya Harp Çelik, Faculty Member at HKU; Dr. Kamuran Öztop, Head of the Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Services at Toros University Vocational School; and Devrim Barçak Potok, Secretary General of the Food Rescue Association.

On the final day of the Ideathon, hosted at the Gaziantep Gastronomy Academy (GAGA), group work and presentations were evaluated, and the winning projects were determined through jury voting.

As a result of the jury evaluation:

• The project “From Peel to Plate” won first place,
• “Miso” project won second place,
• and “Eco-Mix” project won third place.

The winning teams were awarded a professional chef’s knife set, the cookbook “Taste of the Sun and Fire”, and free workshop opportunities at GCC Academy and Gaziantep Gastronomy Academy.

AWARD-WINNING TEAMS AND THEIR PROJECTS

From Peel to Plate Project
Team Members: Kağan Tümay, Ege Soyupek, Oğuzhan Öztürk

A project that repurposes kitchen waste into flavored salts, spices, and bread. The main aim is to transform frequently generated organic food waste in restaurants and home kitchens (such as vegetable peels, stale bread, and leftover herbs) into value-added and consumable new products. This not only prevents waste but also reduces the negative environmental impact of food waste.

Miso Project
Team Members: Başar Burak, Fazlı Kerim Şahin, Gökay Kanbağlı, Ahmet Akpınar

A digital application project that calculates the amount and source of kitchen waste, tracks product expiration dates, and analyzes the efficiency of ingredient use.

Eco-Mix Project
Team Members: Jülide Yılmaz, Hatice Anisa Bozdağ, Fatma Özbulut, Bilge Ceren Eyibardakçı

A project that converts glucose-containing products into powdered mixtures, making them suitable for individuals with glucose intolerance or food allergies. The product is particularly versatile for use in areas such as baking.