Artisan restaurants in Turkish food culture

Abstract

Introduction and aim

The aim of this research is to determine the position of Mersin artisan restaurants in the food sector, to identify their customer profile, to reveal their problems and to develop suggestions for them to be sustainable and effective in gastronomy tourism.

Material and method

The universe of the research is the artisan restaurants in Mersin. The sample group consists of the managers of 26 artisan restaurants in different residential areas, including the center and business circles. In the research, qualitative data analysis method and snowball sampling was used.

A questionnaire form consisting of 22 questions was prepared. In addition to the questions about the demographic variables of the artisan restaurants, questions prepared on the basis of the problems of small and medium-sized businesses in the literature were also included. The questionnaire included questions about the general characteristics of the restaurant, its menu, its performance during the past epidemic, open-ended questions about the definition of artisan restaurants, the difficulties of artisan restaurant management today and the role of artisan restaurants in reflecting our culture.

Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with restaurant managers between June and September 2022. Among the questionnaires 23 were found suitable for evaluation.

Discussion and conclusion

The results of the research, which aims to determine the position of the artisan restaurants in Mersin in the food sector, to determine the customer profile, to reveal their problems and to develop suggestions for the sustainability of these businesses are given below. 1. Most of the artisan restaurants in the sample are small-scale and they experience problems such as price increases, lack of capital, financing difficulties and loss of customers due to inflation in our country. It was determined that during the research period many businesses were closed because of the problems mentioned. 2. Despite the difficulties, the establishments are determined to maintain their cuisine that reflects the Turkish food culture. While some of them have served for three to four generations (40-50 years), a few others increased their scale and diversified their product categories, serving more customers, mainly white-collar clients at higher prices. 3. Artisan restaurants have included in their menus the foods that reflect Mersin's culinary culture, such as “tantuni” and wrap varieties, in addition to the traditional dishes they serve in line with their customer profile. In one third of the restaurants within the scope of the research, the main foods served are tantuni and wraps. 4. The research has a unique quality as it puts forward that the artisan restaurants’ dishes reflect our culture; both the Turkish food culture and types of dishes specific to Mersin cuisine. An example of this is the following statements from the definition of artisan restaurants by the restaurant managers interviewed:- to prepare the dishes of various regions of our culture and present them to the customers, without losing their originality.- to provide catering services by considering and understanding the budgets of middle and lower income customers,- to consistently provide quality food and friendly service at affordable prices,- to ensure that all customers leave the premises satisfied and happy. The following views on the role of artisan restaurants in keeping our culture alive are another indication of the originality of the research: - artisan restaurants are businesses that keep our food culture alive,- artisan restaurants are the kitchen of the neighborhood and the meeting point of the local working population,- artisan restaurants are places that can appeal to all segments of the society, prepare the dishes of various regions of our culture without losing their originality and present them as if they are welcoming guests at home,- artisan restaurants are places where local delicacies are prepared in accordance with traditions and offered at affordable prices,- artisan restaurants are places where customers can share a loaf of bread, meet at the same table and help each other, regardless of seniority or position in the society. 5. Tourism planners, Mersin tourism operators and food producers, the Ministry of Culture are working hard to find and reveal forgotten flavors as an effective means of promoting Turkish culture in each of our provinces. In this context, it is suggested that artisan restaurants, which have a high potential in gastronomy tourism in terms of both domestic and foreign tourism with their dishes reflecting the traditional Turkish food culture and Mersin cuisine, should receive sufficient government support in solving their problems, thus ensuring their sustainability. As a result, these businesses, which are the faithful guardians of Turkish food culture, can play a leading role in the development of gastronomic tourism in the food sector of Mersin, which includes various cultures and carries the traces of Turkish food culture as well as Arabian food culture and nomadic culture.