Medifood opens the door to professional kitchens for future chefs

The “2nd Medifood Career Days” hosted by the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at Istanbul Medipol University School of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture, brought industry professionals together with aspiring chefs. Held on the ground floor of the South Campus, the event welcomed 22 prominent companies, including Divan Group, Doğuş Group, Hilton Group, Rixos Tersane Istanbul & Aliée Hotels, and Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul. 

Throughout the event, students had the opportunity to meet individually with hotel and restaurant representatives, submit their résumés, and explore internship and employment opportunities. Academics shared insights into the department's revised curriculum and long-term internship program, while industry representatives offered students advice on professional development, teamwork, and sustainability.

PROF. DİKBAŞ: OUR STUDENTS MEET INDUSTRY LEADERS AS EARLY AS THEIR FIRST YEAR
Prof. Hüseyin Atilla Dikbaş, Dean of Istanbul Medipol University School of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture, stated that the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts brings together academic expertise and leading professionals from the industry. He explained that students in the department, which offers education in both Turkish and English, regularly engage with industry experts through seminars and courses throughout their studies.

Dikbaş said:

“Today, we organized another event as part of our Career Days, bringing together leading figures from the industry. Thanks to these events, our students have the opportunity to meet prominent industry representatives as early as their first year. We also organize seminars, workshops, and other educational activities to address our students' needs and resolve specific issues related to the curriculum. These initiatives are important for expanding our gastronomy department's international reach and making effective use of its academic expertise.”

Thanking the faculty members who organized the event, Dikbaş emphasized the importance of student participation in departmental activities.

“I particularly encourage our students to attend all the seminars and workshops organized by our department, as well as the practical kitchen sessions conducted by industry representatives as part of their courses.” he said.

ASSIST. PROF. OLUM: THE PROGRAM HELPS MEET THE DEMAND FOR LONG-TERM INTERNS
Assist. Prof. Emine Olum, Head of the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at Istanbul Medipol University, stated that the department completely revised its curriculum last year, incorporating feedback from industry representatives.

She explained that the most significant change was the introduction of an internship program covering the seventh and eighth semesters of students' final year.

Olum said: “This professional training program has helped our students enter the industry at an earlier stage while also meeting the demand for interns at major hotels and leading restaurants. Our guests from international hotels attending today's event were therefore very pleased with this change to our curriculum. Thanks to the program, they can meet their long-term internship needs.”

Olum also noted that the department had decided to develop collaborations that would contribute to education and training. She explained that discussions had begun regarding various educational programs and that cooperation protocols were being prepared.

“We organized a highly beneficial event for both our University and our department. It supports the content of our curriculum while offering our students the opportunity to build an extensive professional network.” Olum said.

ASSIST. PROF. ÖLCE: MEETINGS HERE CAN TURN INTO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Assist. Prof. Özgür Ölce, one of the event coordinators, stated that Medifood Career Days aims to connect students with industry representatives and make it easier for them to secure internships.

Explaining that students can meet representatives from numerous businesses in one location rather than visiting each company individually, Ölce said: “This allows our students to submit their résumés to all these businesses in a single day and evaluate the internship opportunities that best suit them.”

Emphasizing that the event offers more than internship opportunities, Ölce added: “Of course, we do not only provide internship opportunities here. If our students and participating businesses reach a mutual agreement, these meetings can also develop into employment opportunities in the future.”

Ölce also highlighted the educational value of the event. “Even at the beginning of their education, our students learn how hotels and restaurants operate and become familiar with their different departments. In this respect, the event also has an educational dimension. I believe the preliminary knowledge they gain here supports their studies and broadens their understanding of the industry.” she said.

PRACTICAL TRAINING FOR JOB INTERVIEWS
Research Assistant Erkan Kahraman of Istanbul Medipol University's Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Artsexpressed his satisfaction at being involved in organizing the event from beginning to end.

Kahraman explained that the organizers aimed to reduce the stress students might experience when searching for internships and employment. To prepare them for the event, students received training in job interview techniques and résumé preparation.

“Here, they have the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice by meeting company representatives under our supervision. In this sense, we can say that this event marks the beginning of practical job interview training at our University.” Kahraman said. He added that the department also monitors the contribution of Career Days to internship and employment opportunities, tracking how many students referred to participating companies subsequently begin internships or secure jobs.

Emphasizing that communication with both students and companies continues after internships or employment begin, Kahraman said: “We receive mutual feedback on our students' contributions to the organizations and the contributions these organizations make to our students.” Kahraman noted that the department was satisfied with the outcomes of last year's event and that the feedback received so far this year had also been highly positive.

CHEF YILDIZ: GASTRONOMY IS MUCH MORE THAN COOKING
Executive Chef Serdar Yıldız of Divan Istanbul Hotel emphasized that young people aspiring to build careers in gastronomy need to understand the profession as a whole.

Having worked with Divan Group for 28 years, Yıldız said: "Gastronomy is much more than cooking. Young people need to develop a comprehensive understanding of agricultural production in our country, the seasonality of ingredients used in kitchens, the fertility of our land, and which dishes can be prepared using different products.”

Highlighting the importance of personal qualities alongside technical expertise, Yıldız continued: “Above all, teamwork, strong communication skills, and understanding others are essential. I believe these are among the fundamental qualities that both established chefs and aspiring chefs seeking to develop themselves should possess.”

Yıldız also shared his views on sustainability in professional kitchens, emphasizing the importance of valuing ingredients and finding ways to reuse them. “We consider repurposing food ingredients, reducing waste, and minimizing plastic use in professional kitchens to be important steps that will benefit future generations.” he said.

CHEF TEKTAŞ: PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE ARE ESSENTIAL IN THIS PROFESSION
Executive Chef Özkan Tektaş of Arjaan Hotel stated that he has worked in the culinary profession for more than 36 years, including at several of the industry's leading five-star hotels.

Advising young people to remain patient, Tektaş said: “First and foremost, patience and perseverance are extremely important in this profession. I believe young people should avoid taking shortcuts and pay close attention to detail. When they do these things, they will eventually see the rewards of their efforts.”

Emphasizing that a genuine passion for the profession is essential for professional development, Tektaş added: “Above all, you need to love your profession. Seeing their skills improve and achieving good results will help guide young people along their career paths.” Regarding sustainability in professional kitchens, Tektaş also stressed the importance of understanding ingredients properly and using them appropriately.