The story behind Friends of Hatay

Friends of Hatay started with Sharon and Elena Croxford, a mother-daughter duo deeply entrenched in the vibrant tapestry of Turkish culture. With decades of residence and work in Türkiye, we have embraced its cultural nuances, traditions, and the inherent warmth of its people. Elena, carrying the legacy of her Turkish heritage, has always nurtured a connection to her roots, strengthened by cherished friendships and family ties in various regions of Türkiye. However, it was the profound impact of the 2023 earthquakes that shook Türkiye to its core, displacing millions and leaving countless buildings in ruins, that saw us set up Friends of Hatay, first as a way to offer a little support to the community, and now to include Hatay and its UNESCO listed cuisine in an exploration of culture and cuisine.

About Sharon

Sharon first travelled to Türkiye almost 30 years ago and kept going back. A few years after that first visit she rented an apartment along the Bosphorus, living between London and Istanbul. She settled in Balat, long before it became trendy, and she and Elena spent Elena’s first 3-4 years there before they returned to Australia, the place of Sharon’s birth. In the more than 15 years since then Sharon and Elena have returned to Türkiye almost every year. Sharon has written about life as a foreigner in Istanbul, and about Turkish food and cuisine in newspapers, magazines and books, often partnering with food historian and friend Professor Özge Samancı. Sharon completed her PhD on dietary acculturation in Turkish migrants in Australia and found that Turkish-Australians retained key aspects of the Turkish diet that provided them with a health promoting diet, perhaps healthier than that of Türks and of the overall Australian population. Sharon currently works as Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at a university in Melbourne, Australia, where she focuses on bringing culinary arts and nutrition together in curriculum to train nutritionists and dietitians who understand the importance of food, cooking, and culture.

About Elena

Elena is currently studying politics, media and language at Melbourne University with the world ahead of her. She is working out how her Turkish heritage and her love for Türkiye, its people and cuisine will come together as she navigates her next steps.