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Class Z in
hef Dilip Barman is in constant motion in the kitchen of the Sancar Turkish Cultural and Community Center as he cuts garlic, grinds walnuts and sears red peppers. The smell of the peppers roasting on the stovetop spreads around the room, where a dozen students watch as the plant-based chef prepares muhammara, a zesty red pepper and walnut dip popular in Syria, Turkey and across the Mediterranean. The cooking class in July was part of an ongoing series at the Turkish cultural center in Chapel Hill, founded by UNC professors Aziz Sancar and Gwen Sancar. The 9,700-square-foot facility on East Franklin Street that opened its doors in June 2021 is only the most recent step on the Sancars’ decadeslong mission to foster cross-cultural bridges between Turkey and the United States. The pair met in graduate school in Dallas before moving to Chapel Hill in 1982. Aziz is the Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Biochemistry
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Dine on diverse dishes at Chapel Hill’s Turkish cultural center By Sam B erm as-Dawes | Photography by Sarah Mart i n
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chapelhillmagazine.com September/October 2022