Social Gastronomy Chef and Entrepreneur, Cercis Murat Konağı; Mardin, Turkey

Ebru Baybara Demir is the 2023 Basque Culinary World Prize winner, and a chef acknowledged for her innovative solutions to societal challenges, such as the socioeconomic impact of the migrant crisis, climate change's effect on soil, and promoting local development through social gastronomy. She founded Mardin's first touristic restaurant, Cercis Murat Konağı, with twenty-one women who believed in her. As one of leaders of From Soil to Plate Cooperative, she initiated projects for ancestral sorgul wheat,known as the oldest Mesopotamian wheat, Şemim soaps, and an e-commerce platform supporting over one hundred seventy local farmers. She also implemented a biodegradable waste management project nationwide. After the February 6 Türkiye-Syria earthquake, she established Gönül Mutfağı, a soup kitchen providing over 20 million hot meals to victims with the help of 4,000 volunteers, private organizations, and public institutions. In 2023, she received the Aenne Burda Creative Leadership Award and the grand prix at the Mediterranean Tourism Forum from Maltese President Dr. George Vella. @ebrubaybarademir