Understanding the Culinary Gap: Why Artichoke is Missing in Hatay’s Gastronomic Heritage

The objective of this study is to examine the reasons why artichokes, a symbolic product of Mediterranean cuisine, have not been incorporated into the cuisine of Hatay, a city that holds the UNESCO Creative Gastronomy City designation. Additionally, the study will explore the concept of “absence” in gastronomic culture. An open-ended investigation involving 102 participants residing in Antakya, Defne, and Samandağ has revealed that the absence of artichokes in the daily culinary practices of the region cannot be attributed exclusively to structural constraints, such as accessibility and cost. The findings indicate intertwined dynamics, including weak intergenerational transmission, negative taste perceptions, a lack of cooking knowledge, and the symbolic exclusion of artichokes from the local culinary repertoire. In this context, artichokes are not merely a vegetable that is not consumed; they are regarded as an indicator that reveals the limits of the relationship established with the local palate, cultural identity, and social memory. The study provides a distinctive viewpoint on the preservation and reproduction of cultural identity by demonstrating to the field of gastronomy literature that culinary cultures can be interpreted not only through existing elements but also through deliberate or persistent absences.