Selçuk University Faculty of Tourism organised a conference titled "Innovative Approaches and Entrepreneurship in Gastronomy". Gamze Cizreli, Co-Founder of Big Chef's Restaurants, attended the conference as a speaker.

Delivering the opening speech of the conference held at Selçuk University Museum Building, Selçuk University Faculty of Tourism Dean Prof. Dr. Onur Köksal said, "We are planning to make a Pastry Production Centre where foods such as bagels, cakes, pastries and pastries will be produced and sold. As the Faculty of Tourism, we are happy if we can create opportunities that can pave the way for our students and be a milestone in the future of our students. Every society has a red apple. Our red apple is that our students become individuals who are beneficial to this country."

Gamze Cizreli, Co-Founder of Big Chef's Restaurants, advised the students not to hesitate to try and said, "I did not watch TV for 9 months, I did not chat with my friends, I worked as a waitress. You can only erase your destiny with your sweat. For 30 years, I have been working non-stop. Whatever you do, make efforts for the right human relations. Dedicated companionship is very valuable. We will protect cultural heritage and local cuisine. For 16 years, we have been boiling aşure in more than 100 branches in the month of Muharram. Because we believed in its abundance, we embraced our own roots."

Emphasising that gastronomy is a very important lever for tourism, Cizreli said, "The rising trend of the coming period will be to present ethnic cuisines by synthesising them with the West. We will do this by making a difference. The ratio of out-of-home consumption expenditures to gross national product in OECD countries is 4.2, while it is around 2.1 in Turkey. Kitchens have shrunk, the frequency of cooking at home has decreased as women work. The sector will grow, do not lose hope, work hard and follow innovations. There is a need for entrepreneurs who make a difference." 

At the end of the conference, Selçuk University Faculty of Tourism Dean Prof. Dr. Onur Köksal and Beyşehir Ali Akkanat Faculty of Tourism Dean Prof. Dr. Abdullah Karaman presented a gift to Gamze Cizreli, Co-Founder of Big Chef's Restaurants.