Second Yale Global Table Fellow Brings Inspiring “Food is a Tool for Change” Philosophy to Campus

Chef Ebru Baybara Demir does not see problems, but rather, opportunities and solutions.

When she realized her home city of Mardin, Turkey, lacked a tourism economy, she convinced women there to open their homes and cook for tourists – an idea that spurred the founding of her Cercis Murat Konaği restaurant, which she set up in one of Mardin’s several abandoned, ancient buildings.

After war broke out in neighboring Syria and refugees began streaming into Turkey, Demir founded the Soil to Plate Agricultural Cooperative to create opportunities for disadvantaged women and refugees. Among other products, the co-op is focused on olive oil and Aleppo soap production, as well as revitalizing the growth and usage of drought-resistant sorgül, the oldest wheat in Mesopotamia. 

And following a devastating earthquake on February 6, 2023, that leveled many parts of Turkey, she brought together a group of local chefs and volunteers to feed disaster victims. Soon, the effort grew to serve more than 70,000 a day, plus 10,000 meals for children in schools. Demir formalized the effort into a soup kitchen, Kitchen of the Heart, which continues to serve earthquake victims who still do not have adequate access to fresh food. 

Demir, who was the 2023 winner of the prestigious Basque Culinary World Prize, abides by the philosophy that “food is a tool for change,” and she has spent more than 20 years utilizing her culinary talents to transform the lives of women and refugees, as well as improve sustainable agricultural development in her native Turkey. 

“I am [as] interested in how many people’s lives are changed as much as the flavor of the plate,” said Demir.  

As the second fellow in the recently established Yale Global Table program, Demir visited campus in February for a five-day residency and shared insights from her extensive work. The program is a collaboration between the Yale MacMillan Center, the Yale Schwarzman Center, and Yale Hospitality, and aims to illuminate the connections between sustainability, health, culture, and community.  

“Our aim with Global Table is to use food as a way to tell the interconnected story of tradition, sustainability, justice, and community,” said Melissa Brown, deputy director of the MacMillan Center. “Chef Ebru’s approach to “social gastronomy” embodies this idea. Her commitment to empowering women, supporting local agriculture, creating security for refugees, and innovating food systems is truly inspiring.” 

While in-residency, Demir visited with students and faculty, and trained Yale Hospitality staff in how to recreate traditional Turkish dishes into plant-forward, sustainable recipes, which the Yale community will have the opportunity to try, from March 24 through May 1, with a Rooted station in Commons dedicated to her menu. The chef capped her visit to campus with a lecture on February 10, followed by a reception featuring dishes inspired by her recipes. 

To bring her dishes to life for both the upcoming Rooted station and her February lecture, the chef spent two days working with Yale’s Hospitality staff to train them on how to prepare her recipes. She provided the Yale chefs with advice on how to create the deep flavors and intricate textures found in her meals, and though the chefs often communicated via an interpreter, they nonetheless connected through their culinary interests. 

“Working alongside Chef Ebru was inspirational and shows that food, cooking, and passion translate across borders and cultures,” said Josh Russo, First Cook, Yale Hospitality. “Our common language of taste quickly canceled any language barrier that existed as we both realized by cooking with each other that we thought about food in the same way. It was a joy and honor to cook alongside her and to add her recipes and skills to the Rooted station.” 

Demir’s resiliency in the face of challenges continues to shape the way in which she uses her skills to share her story. Cooking is a means for her to share her rich culture globally, and she feeds people’s spirits with both her food and infectious personality.  

James Benson, Director of Culinary Excellence for Yale Hospitality, added: “Chef Ebru was inspirational and passionate about food and sharing her traditions with us, celebrating authentic Turkish ingredients, which she carried and shared with us almost 70kilos worth of spices, grains. When she did not have enough of certain items, she called upon local Turkish markets to source additional products for our team to produce this special event.” 

Food is the primary vehicle through which Demir connects with and moves through the world, and in 2012, it became a way for her to manage through a difficult time. That year, doctors diagnosed her then-five-year-old daughter with a brain tumor, and they explained that such cases were becoming more common in Turkey due to environmental toxins. While she could not heal her daughter, she found herself looking for ways to fundamentally change agricultural and food sourcing practices in her region. 

“As a mother of the three and a chef who feeds hundreds of the people I meet, I realized my responsibility towards future generations. From that moment on, I focused on the source of food and seed and soil [we use].” 

She continued: “I started researching not only soil, but also ancient seeds, farming models, and pesticides. The more I researched, the more questions I had. Where does the food I bring home come from?

What about the food I serve in my restaurant? These questions became more important to me.”