Cookbook author and cooking instructor Özlem Warren has a deep passion for the the history, landscape and heritage of her home country, Turkey. Born and raised in the Asian nation along the Mediterranean, Warren learned the culinary secrets of her culture from her mother and grandmother, whose 450-year-old home was many times the setting for large gatherings filled with family, friends and delicious food. To share her knowledge of classic Turkish cuisine, she started a blog where she shares approachable recipes for the home cook along with history and personal stories to provide additional context on each dish. Since 2006, Warren has been a cooking instructor with Central Market, where she features Turkish meals. In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Month, she will hold a Central Market cooking class on May 22. Her cookbook, “Özlem’s Turkish Table,” has received many accolades, including being named Best in the World at the 2020 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

You mention hospitality is a big part of Turkish cuisine. How does that idea of hospitality translate to the food of the culture?

Sharing is a huge part of our culture; we always think food tastes better when shared, that’s how I grow up. My passion for sharing Turkish cuisine especially shaped growing up as a child in Antakya, southern Turkey, where my roots are from. My mother’s father was a food merchant, trading fresh and dried produce within the city and across the border in Syria. I grew up with an abundance of fresh produce and remember the excitement of grandpa delivering cases of figs, aubergines (eggplant), tomatoes, which we always shared with our friends and neighbors. We would prepare meals with my grandmother and mother at the courtyard of my grandmother’s 450-year-old stone house in Antakya, and enjoyed many special meals under the fig, pomegranate, walnut trees. My grandma would always place a spare few plates on the table, as someone would always turn up, unannounced, and would be warmly welcomed to our table. I think it is this love of sharing, generosity and Turkish hospitality that stayed in me the most.

What were some of the first dishes you learned to make?

Stuffed eggplant, Karniyarik – one  of our national dishes, I can safely say! Here is one of Özlem’s recipes for stuffed eggplants with ground lamb, tomatoes and onion.

How would you describe the dishes and flavors of Turkish cuisine?

A melting pot of flavors with influences of Ottoman, Balkan, North Africa and beyond. Healthy, following the Mediterranean diet, gently flavored with olive oil and spices.

Which dishes do you feel provide a good representation of the Turkish culture?

Stuffed eggplant, Karniyarik, our iconic street food Simit bagels (sesame-encrusted bread rings), our mezes (appetizers, small dishes), Pide bread (flat bread), Turkish breakfast – so many!

The kitchen is a great place to learn some of life’s most important lessons. Do you remember any words of wisdom from your time cooking with your family, mentors?

Trust your instincts, cook with love and don’t be afraid to experiment.

On your blog, you share background and history behind many of the dishes and recipes you share. Why is it important for you to share those stories?

Our stories are a huge part of our heritage, our belonging and I feel it is important to share.

Celebrations such as Asian American Pacific Islander month give us an opportunity to experience different cultures, and a good way to do that is through food. How are you telling the story of your culture through food?

Diversity is a big part of my culture. I grew up with my grandparents celebrating Hanukkah and Noel with their neighbors and Ramadan with the Muslim community in Antakya. I love this acceptance and tolerance and always celebrate.

How has travel helped shape your approach to cooking and the traditional dishes you make?

My grandmother and mum always encouraged us to travel, to feel and appreciate other cuisines and influences. They cooked with love, using seasonal produce and always shared with others and respected their traditions.

You do cooking classes with Central Market. How did you get involved doing those classes and what can people expect to learn from attending your classes?

After I got married, we moved to Austin, Texas. I loved Austin but I missed home, our delicious Turkish cuisine and really wanted to share our warm, welcoming culture, with authentic Turkish recipes with folks in the U.S. I started teaching Turkish cooking classes at the Central Market Cooking School in Austin in 2006. That was the main starting point of my culinary career. Folks showed great interest for Turkish cuisine and our rich culinary heritage and, with the classes, I started to publish my recipes at my blog, Ozlem’s Turkish Table. Along with popular Turkish recipes, I also wanted to share southern Turkish specialties from my roots and noticed that not many recipes are written down with accurate measurements. Through my classes, I share these authentic recipes in a way folks around the world can recreate easily, along with stories and traditions.

You released a cookbook a couple of years ago, “Ozelm’s Turkish Table.” What’s the inspiration behind that project and what can people expect from your book?

My cook book has been a dream of mine for over 10 years. I never forget, the first day I taught Turkish cooking at Central Market Cooking School in Austin, as folks asked me where they can buy my cook book. I said I don’t have one yet but will write one! My blog, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, acted as my online cook book. The more I published recipes, my reader base grew, along with the interest for a book. I also wanted my cook book to focus on Southern Turkish cooking, especially the cuisine of my hometown Antakya, as not many cookbooks really explored that region. Antakya’s cuisine is as diverse and cosmopolitan as the people that call the city their home. Influences from the Levantine cuisine is especially evident with our shared love of meze, and I wanted to showcase this rich cuisine, with family recipes passed me down from my grandmother and mother, with personal stories from home. I hope to pass this rich legacy to the next generations. Approachable, delicious, accessible recipes with a thousands of years of heritage sums up my cook book.

Any words of advice for home cooks?

Don’t be afraid to have a go at recipes and make it your own. Experiment with ingredients.