Updated with Experience: USLA Moved to Kanyon

USLA, one of Istanbul's prominent gastronomic addresses, has moved to Kanyon. Moreover, in its new location, it will host visitors with Gusto by USLA restaurant, USLA Library, Chocolate by USLA, Skola Coffee, USLA Patisserie, and shopping areas. We hear about USLA, which has been one of Turkey's leading international hotel management and culinary academies for 10 years, from general coordinator Hülya Acar.

USLA stands out as both a culinary and hospitality-service academy. How would you describe USLA's mission?

USLA, which stands for International Service and Flavor Academy, has been active for over 10 years. As a pioneering academy in its field, our institution has been training professionals for the industry for years and guiding the gastronomic world with the domestic and international successes of its graduates. Regarding its establishment and mission, Turkey is a very important destination in the field of gastronomy; both its own culinary culture and the local to chain flavor businesses, restaurants, etc. are all points where the gastronomy sector is actively operating. Our goal has been to advance and develop the sector by gaining professionals in both theory and practice because, at that time, unfortunately, there was no institution in our country that provided education in terms of kitchen or service. Of course, it makes us very happy to see that we are also contributing to our country's culinary culture with the professionals we train. In total, we were established with the mission of contributing qualified individuals to the global gastronomic world alongside the development of our country's gastronomy sector. Our founders, who have been closely following all these issues and aiming to train professionals with their knowledge and foresight under a single roof, have brought USLA to its current point for over 10 years. Our biggest motivation, which we still feel with the same excitement as on the first day, is to train professionals who provide added value to the food and beverage sector while representing Turkey and our culinary culture in the best way possible and making significant contributions to global cuisine... Seeing our USLA graduates working worldwide, establishing their own businesses, and reaching significant places in Turkey motivates us even more as we observe the developments in the gastronomic world through their work.

USLA has renewed its logo and corporate identity and moved its campus from Mecidiyeköy to Kanyon, one of Istanbul's centers. We would like to hear about this transformation process and the innovations it brings from you.

International Service and Flavor Academy, or USLA, is one of Turkey's first and leading gastronomy academies, certified and approved, which has been active for over 10 years and provides many professional advantages to its students both domestically and internationally. With the changing world and the experiences we have gained over the years, the transformation of USLA has been a topic we have been planning for a long time. Updating, reflecting the harmony we have achieved with the modern, contemporary, and digitalizing world more comprehensively and clearly, and of course, conveying this transformation in an inspiring way just as we did when we first opened, has been our priority in planning this transformation. We initiated a broad and significant transformation process that includes everything from our logo to the colors that represent us; this dates back to before the pandemic. Despite the pandemic conditions, we are very pleased with every detail of this transformation, which we have carried out meticulously without any breaks; moreover, our biggest motivation comes from the comments we receive from those who see this transformation, those who experience it firsthand, saying that there is no campus like this anywhere in the world, extraordinary comments... Of course, one of the most important parts of the transformation was the location; it was important that this location be central and accessible for Istanbul, and that it be a place where our students, guests, workshop participants, our team, and partners, in short, everyone coming to USLA feels safe and good. At this point, our paths crossed with Kanyon, and this way, we moved our campus to Kanyon. We did not want to limit our campus, workshop, and training classes; the transformation had to be an experience center emphasizing that USLA is the starting point of everything. We wanted it to be a place that touches every moment, adds flavor to every moment, reflects USLA's understanding more comprehensively, reaches more people, and adds experiences. We created an incredible place in a large area of nearly 2,500 square meters on the G floor of Kanyon. Here, we did not limit ourselves to classrooms and workshop areas for our trainings; we created an environment where everyone outside our students and workshop participants can enjoy their time, shop, relax, and meet with friends and loved ones. Under the USLA umbrella, we established different businesses. We have a restaurant that everyone can benefit from, meaning that anyone outside of students or workshop participants can come as a regular customer, a dining address Gusto by USLA... Here, under the guidance of our instructors, our students see and experience in detail how a menu is truly created, what happens while running a restaurant and serving hot dishes. The best part is that they can observe the impact on customers firsthand before their own careers... Similarly, we have a coffee shop area created with our coffee brand Skola; there, our students who receive training in barista skills gain practical experience just like on the restaurant side. Additionally, those receiving chocolate training can experience all these opportunities at our business called Chocolate by USLA, while those receiving bread and pastry training can experience all these at USLA Patisserie. In addition to all this, we also have a USLA Library, where both our students and guests can socialize and read books on topics in our field. Our training areas have been prepared in the most equipped and meticulous way for students who truly want to receive the best education in their field. Whatever is required in a top-class establishment, they can experience all these opportunities in our classrooms, gaining the theory and practice that will allow them to quickly find jobs domestically and internationally as soon as they graduate, or open their own businesses if they wish. We have also shown the same care and investment in the kitchens of our businesses and our workshop area. Whatever is necessary and whatever is the best, they experience, see, discover, and develop themselves in USLA, mastering their subjects not from a distance but firsthand. We also thank all our stakeholders who partner with us in this regard because they believed in us just as much as we believe in our students and everyone who experiences the world of USLA deserves the best...

As USLA, you have trained hundreds of kitchen and hospitality professionals so far. What conditions does USLA provide for its graduates?

You expressed it beautifully; we have had thousands of graduates for over 10 years. Each of them has achieved significant successes both domestically and internationally. This makes us very proud. The question you asked is very important because we always emphasize what USLA contributes to those who want to build a career in this field and what advantages they will have after graduation because being a USLA graduate truly means starting a career on a winning note. If we were to list the reasons; the diversity of our trainings, our internationally valid training certificates, which enable our graduates to quickly gain internship and job opportunities abroad, are some of the fundamental features that distinguish USLA from other culinary training academies and are quite effective in students choosing us... These factors are quite valuable for shaping students' futures and careers. Along with this, our instructor staff is also one of the reasons why students choose us... We observe that our transition to Kanyon has also been a very triggering factor for our new location. Because our place has truly become an inspiring center for them. Everything is in its place; moreover, it is a place where they can observe how the theory they receive is transformed into practice... The classrooms where the trainings are held are positioned in a way that can be observed from outside. They have been decorated in a very spacious, architecturally modern, and inspiring way, ensuring that you won't get bored, and of course, the classrooms are equipped with the highest standards related to the education they receive. From the moment they register for training, we provide everything they will need, from clothing to bags. When it comes to turning theories into practice, we have a restaurant that everyone can benefit from in our new location in Kanyon, meaning that anyone outside of students or workshop participants can go as a regular customer, a dining address Gusto by USLA... Here, under the guidance of our instructors, our students see and experience in detail how a menu is truly created, what happens while running a restaurant and serving hot dishes. The best part is that they can observe the impact on customers firsthand before their own careers. Similarly, we have a place created with our coffee brand Skola; there, our students who receive training in this area gain practical experience just like on the restaurant side. Additionally, those receiving chocolate training can experience all these opportunities at our business called Chocolate by USLA, while those receiving bread and pastry training can experience all these at USLA Patisserie. Moreover, we also provide comfort with our USLA Library, where they can socialize in their free time. We offer the education and training environment that every student dreaming of a career as a chef or in the horeca sector desires. All these reasons and more allow USLA graduates to start their career lives quite equipped and with self-confidence. I would also like to mention our internship opportunities... As USLA, we already have significant prestige due to the professionals we have contributed to the industry in Turkey for over 10 years, with the domestic and international successes of our graduates. Therefore, we see that many doors are opened for those who receive education at USLA, and we provide many incentives in this regard. Understanding our students' career goals correctly, analyzing them accurately, and guiding them in this direction are among the fundamental principles of both management and the instructor staff... They know well that when they consult us, we do our best to provide them with opportunities in every matter. Moreover, we do not set limits in this regard because we offer internship opportunities in 5-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, Canada, Portugal, and America with the AHA diploma.

Can you provide information about USLA's instructor staff and trainings?

Our instructor staff consists of highly valuable names in their fields. The leader of our team is Cenk Akkaya... I must especially emphasize that being a good chef does not mean being a good chef instructor. Especially when we talk about an internationally valid gastronomy education. Cenk Akkaya is truly an important reference in this regard because he is not only a very good chef in the kitchen but also a good instructor chef who has the capacity to train brand new professionals... We have an instructor staff of about 20 people, each of whom is an expert in their field and valuable, created together with Cenk Akkaya. Together with our Academy Chef Cenk Akkaya and our instructor staff, we create the most equipped and competent training curricula, training the most qualified students according to the needs of the industry. We strive to offer the most equipped trainings suitable for both sectoral needs and the dynamics of the developing and updating world. We value making additions to our curriculum, providing the right education to those who want to build a career in that field, and supplying the industry with equipped, trained professionals. Our trainings include Professional Culinary Arts, Professional Pastry and Baking, Long-Term Professional Culinary Arts, Long-Term Pastry and Baking, Special Culinary and Business Management for Entrepreneurs, Food and Beverage Management, Professional Bar and Mixology Training, SCA Certified Barista Training, Advanced Pizza Training, First Step Culinary Arts, First Step Pastry and Baking, Service and Hospitality Training, Master Chef, etc. Our professional trainings are divided into two terms: autumn-winter and spring-summer; accordingly, the registration periods are updated and announced through our social media accounts and our website. Additionally, we inform and assist those who reach us via our contact number or our campus in Kanyon. All our trainings are certified by the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, we have the right to grant the AHA (International Hotel Management Schools (AHA-IHMS)) certificate, which enables our graduates to build careers and find jobs abroad. With the AHA certificate, our graduates also have the opportunity to work in the USA, Spain, and Portugal according to the training field they choose, including internship opportunities during their education.

USLA is also attracting attention with Gusto by USLA restaurant, USLA Library, Chocolate by USLA, Skola Coffee, USLA Patisserie, and shopping areas in its new location. What can we find in these areas, and what features do they stand out with?

We designed these brands along with our transformation and brought them to life in our location at Kanyon, which we planned as a starting point, an experience center. Our goal was to transform USLA into a living, experience center that everyone can experience. Along with this, we wanted to create a campus that has no equal in the world. With these businesses, we not only cater to our workshop participants and students but also welcome those who want to experience USLA in our unparalleled areas from morning to evening. Gusto by USLA serves lunch and dinner. Here, we aim to provide not only a quality taste experience but also a good service experience... As an institution that values training professionals in the service sector by conveying the industry's needs in the most accurate way through the training we provide, we certainly showcase this knowledge and experience in our service at our restaurant Gusto by USLA. From the moment you step into the Gusto by USLA restaurant, which stands out with its quite modern, contemporary, and comfortable appearance, you experience the professional hospitality of the service team in a very attentive and professional manner. The menu designed under the leadership of Academy Chef Cenk Akkaya and Restaurant Chef Ercüment Temiz caters to every palate and has a variety suitable for every moment of the day. The menu consists of three sections: starters, main courses, and desserts. These flavors, designed with contents that change according to the season, are also carefully prepared with information regarding sensitivities such as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten. We prepare each dish on our menu with intricate techniques, highlighting the importance of ingredient selection and the value of components. While selecting all these flavors, the conscious and correct guidance of our service team serves as an example of what a correct and quality service should be; guests are quite pleased with this. The reason is quite clear; our service team, who are as friendly as they are experts in their field, demonstrate how well-trained and conscious they are in the questions you ask with their quick guidance, and they provide quite effective service regarding the compatibility of the dishes you choose with your drinks. We can define our Gusto by USLA restaurant as the flavor address for those who want to spend time in a beautiful environment, receive good service, discover quality flavors, enjoy socializing or dining out, and be in a place that inspires them while getting a little away from the city. Our USLA Library is one of the areas we value the most as a rooted academy... In this carefully established library, there are books containing valuable information. Both our campus students and those who want to spend time at USLA enjoy discovering new information in the USLA Library. Chocolate by USLA, created for chocolate lovers, is an area where you can watch chefs and students making chocolate live... Of course, as much as this appetizing view, you can also purchase chocolates made with the best ingredients for yourself or your loved ones from Chocolate by USLA. Are you craving quality coffee? Then it’s worth stopping by our coffee area, Skola Coffee. The coffees carefully prepared by our baristas are a favorite for those who want to take a nice break... Additionally, as the Skola brand, you can also purchase packages we have prepared so that you can continue enjoying your favorite coffees at home or at work. USLA Patisserie, located right next to our library, is a delightful patisserie where you can find freshly baked bread, pastries, cakes, and desserts from the moment we open our doors in the morning until you go home in the evening, whether you want to enjoy them at USLA or take them home to your loved ones... In addition to all this, we have a shop area where we support entrepreneurs in the food and beverage sector, allowing you to take home beautiful flavors and ingredients when you visit USLA. Our aim here is to create a complete experience center, a living center, while also supporting entrepreneurs. Additionally, being able to support many students in need with the income we generate makes us very happy.

What recommendations do you have for those who want to shape their careers in culinary arts?

This topic is also the point I care about the most as a co-founder of Any Istanbul and Dirty Hands, someone who knows the other side of the industry... As a professional actively involved in the food and beverage sector for a long time, I often hear and see that young people who want to build a career in culinary arts give up very quickly, do not show the necessary care in discipline and time management, and even if they receive education, they do not continue to develop themselves afterward. The kitchen and service are areas that require effort and patience. Moreover, it is essential to follow innovations with good education, to research, and to examine flavors along with their history, maximizing opportunities by experiencing them on-site or creating them.

USLA's daily, periodic, and artisan workshops continue as well. Can you tell us a bit about the workshops and their contents? What can we find in the workshops?

Our workshops aimed at those who want to discover different experiences, cultures, and flavors are quite popular. Moreover, not only individually but also many companies direct their teams to our workshops or organize exclusive workshops for themselves. Companies reserve our workshops entirely for their employees, gaining efficiency in many areas such as team motivation, coordination, concentration, and teamwork. We carefully design and manage USLA workshops for those who want to add new knowledge to what they know in the food and beverage field, spend quality time with their loved ones and friends, and discover brand new cultures and flavors. Those who come once return again because every time they learn new information and techniques, while also socializing and making new friendships, and enjoying the dishes they prepared at the end of the workshop, these experiences are very valuable for them in terms of spending quality time. We have new workshops that we add seasonally every month, as well as iconic workshops that show seasonal changes on the menu but whose concept and enjoyment never change. We have a wide variety of workshops such as Radio Müzeyyen, Edinburgh Cocktail, Los Altos Cocktail, La Habana Cocktail, London Dry Cocktail, Party Foods, Favorite Flavors, Mexican Cuisine, Street Flavors, Tapas, A Lot of Cupcake, Fresh Pastas, Gourmet Burgers, Far Eastern Cuisine, Flavors Accompanying Coffee, If My Father Came from the Sea, Knife Skills and Cutting Techniques, Smile: Cheesecake!, French Cuisine, Dinner Party, Trendy Cakes, We Are Going to Italy! Italian Flavors, Dolce Vita! Italian Desserts, etc. Our goal in the workshops is to help people develop themselves in the food and beverage field while also having a good time... We have a world where the correct techniques and information are conveyed in an understandable and enjoyable way, where at the end of the day, those participating in the workshop learn new recipes they can make for themselves and their loved ones, make new friendships, socialize, and have a great, fun time, and enjoy what they made at the end of the workshop; this truly makes people very happy. Just as there is a fact that food is related to happiness, we observe that cooking has a therapeutic effect on many people, especially on busy white-collar workers, and the feedback we receive in this regard makes us very happy.

Where can we follow the workshop calendars and contents?

You can follow our constantly updated workshop calendars and contents from our Instagram account @uslaakademi, and for the workshops they like and want to gift to their loved ones, they can purchase tickets from https://korvo.co/uslaakademi or by coming directly to Kanyon.

Do you have any flavor recommendations that you would say to definitely try when visiting USLA and the new areas opened?

Of course, it’s quite unlikely for us to single out any of them as each is a flavor we have carefully prepared. However, if I were to make a few recommendations from Gusto by USLA; among the starters, Zucchini Salad, Crispy Leaf Potatoes, Charred Eggplant Katsu, Shrimp Corn Fritters, our Pizzettas, Charcoal Oven Octopus, Smoked Salmon... For main courses, Birria Burger, Artisan Sausage, 4 Mushroom Gnocchi, Open Siron Dumplings, Grilled Granyoz, Salmon Baklava, Lamb Wrap, Rib Eye, Pork Ribs... Each of the desserts is a must-try flavor and offers a variety that appeals to every palate; Burnt Rice Pudding, Peach Mess, Chocolate Terrine... On the patisserie side, you can discover a brand new flavor almost every day; however, among the most iconic and loved are Vegan Mousse, coffee and hazelnut Paris Brest, Peach Crumble Cheesecake... The chocolates also showcase previously unseen flavors; for example, have you ever tried Strawberry Balsamic Bonbon chocolate? Or Lotus Bonbon chocolate... I definitely recommend visiting Chocolate by USLA for the visual beauty and flavor content you could never imagine in a chocolate.

We see that gastronomy and education in this field are gaining more and more importance day by day. How do you evaluate the current situation in the world and Turkey and this interest?

Honestly, I am very happy that gastronomy is receiving the value it deserves because the more people become aware in this regard, the more the sector develops, and the quality and standards increase. Therefore, this interest is a transformative and developmental trigger that should happen. Moreover, thanks to this interest in our country, the ideals of young people to become good chefs are also very important for the recognition of Turkish cuisine on a global scale. Looking at the world, the concept of luxury has evolved from being a price-based concept to one that appeals to the senses and experiences. Gastronomy is a very valuable field in this sense, and with the increase in interest, it flows into an endless development and richness... As a leading academy in our field, we closely follow these developments, updating our curricula according to both global and domestic needs while of course training our students in a scope that includes the essential nuances and classics of the profession. We are fortunate to have trained professionals who have been guiding the industry with their successes both domestically and internationally for over ten years with our USLA graduates; we continue to do so.

Source: Vogue