The Kitchen of Hope Project was implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of National Education, Şükran Association, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), under the coordination of Chef Ebru Baybara Demir.
Targeting disadvantaged members of host communities and Syrian beneficiaries under temporary protection in the provinces of Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Mardin, Adana, Şanlıurfa, Hatay, Mersin, and Kilis, the Kitchen of Hope Project aimed to support access to sustainable livelihoods while contributing to the growing field of gastronomy tourism by developing both products and skilled labor. At the same time, it sought to strengthen social cohesion and foster integration by supporting participants’ inclusion in community life.
Within the scope of the project, participants completed a three-month vocational and technical training program followed by a three-month hands-on training phase. Host community members and Syrian beneficiaries first completed theoretical Assistant Cook training at Public Education Centers, and then carried out on-the-job practical training in the kitchens of restaurants, cafés, and hotels. Throughout the program, beneficiaries received training in assistant cook skills, occupational health and safety, and hygiene. Participants who completed the training subsequently secured employment at suitable workplaces.
Building on its proven success as a model, the Kitchen of Hope Project was later implemented nationwide under the Socio-Economic Empowerment and Sustainability Program (SES), covering six different vocational fields across ten provinces.