Welcome to my Mediterranean table, where every meal tells a story

As you know-or will soon discover-I tell stories around food and the joy of creating long tables where we can connect. It’s a huge topic, and sometimes time simply isn’t enough to share everything I want to.

So here’s what I’m planning:Recipes? Absolutely.Daily reflections and activities?

Yes-please keep encouraging me on this one! I’m terrible at remembering to document things, always caught up in the moment and forgetting to share the details.

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You’ll also read more stories from Lisbon, Istanbul, and across this Mediterranean basin- how we embrace life through food.

But what I really want is to build a stronger way for us to connect.

Every day, I uncover a new story, an exciting anecdote from the past, or a small moment that surprises me. The Mediterranean continues to amaze me with its warmth, depth, and layers of memory. I hope these articles will help us go deeper into this extraordinary part of the world-and maybe even bring a little of its spirit to our own tables.

I’m Defne-born and raised in Istanbul, now living in Lisbon.I’m endlessly inspired by my Mediterranean identity. Like many of us, my entire personality has been shaped by the vibrant culinary culture and traditions that gather us around the table.

For 20 years, I had an intense and fulfilling career in the entertainment and cultural industries. It was a beautiful time-full of bright, shiny moments. I had the chance to work with incredibly talented artists, on big projects and with global brands. Gathering people, ideas, projects together. I loved it. No regrets. But eventually, I felt the urge to express my purpose in a different way-something I’ve always done naturally in my private life: creating gatherings, meaningful celebrations, and shared moments around the table.

And then life-the world-ushered in a new era.I left my country and started over. This time, I listened more closely to what was inside me.

I’ll try to avoid politics here as much as I can-but I’m Turkish, and let’s be honest, it’s inevitable sometimes. The biggest lesson I learned through travel was this: food is an incredible glue in our lives. It holds us together. Through food, we create space to listen, to understand each other. We build stronger bonds between cultures and across distances. So while the world feels increasingly divided, I want to create more common ground more I want to create more common ground with my recipes, stories and tables I create.

So, I started to tell stories.And I began from where I know best.

On this page, I’ll share:

Daily routines and seasonal rhythms

Recipes passed down through generations

Fascinating discoveries about our cultures and traditions

Stories that celebrate the Mediterranean spirit

I can't wait to share these discoveries with you - from my kitchen to yours, from my table to your table. An invitation to share stories, recipes, and the Mediterranean spirit that binds us together