World Kebab Day

When Is It Celebrated?

• Second Friday of July each year

• In 2025, World Kebab Day was celebrated on Friday, July 11.

What Is a Kebab?

The word "kebab" broadly refers to meat grilled or cooked on skewers or spits, and it varies by region:

• Middle Eastern kebab: Usually ground or cubed meat grilled on skewers (e.g., Shish kebab, Kofta).

• Turkish döner: Vertically roasted meat (ancestor of shawarma and gyros).

• Indian & Pakistani seekh kebabs: Minced meat spiced and grilled on skewers.

• Greek souvlaki: Cubes of meat and vegetables grilled on skewers.

• East African mishkaki and Persian kababs are also famous regional varieties.

Origin of the Celebration

• While not tied to a specific historical event, World Kebab Day emerged as a food awareness day in the 2010s, gaining traction via social media campaigns, food blogs, and restaurant promotions.

• The UK, especially with its large Turkish, Kurdish, and South Asian populations, has played a key role in popularizing the day, along with Turkey, Lebanon, and Germany.

Purpose & Cultural Significance

1. Celebrate Culinary Diversity:
   Kebabs exist in various forms across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, highlighting cross-cultural exchange.

2. Support Local Businesses:
   Many kebab shops and food stalls offer discounts, special menus, or tasting platters on this day.

3. Encourage Cooking Traditions:
   Families are encouraged to cook kebabs at home and share traditional recipes.

4. Social Unity Through Food:
   Like pizza or burgers, kebabs have become a global comfort food that bridges cultural boundaries.

Popular Types of Kebabs Around the World

Region	Type of Kebab	Description
Turkey	Döner, Shish, Adana	Thin meat slices or spiced minced meat on skewers
Middle East	Shawarma, Kofta	Rotisserie-style or ground meat rolls
South Asia	Seekh, Chapli, Bihari	Spicy minced meat on skewers or flat grills
Greece	Souvlaki, Gyros	Grilled meat with pita bread and sauces
Persia/Iran	Kabab Koobideh	Ground lamb/beef with onions and saffron
Germany	Döner Kebab	A Turkish-German street food icon

How It's Celebrated

• Restaurants and food chains run special offers, “kebab of the day” events, and sometimes kebab-eating competitions.

• Social media trends: Hashtags like #WorldKebabDay, #KebabLovers, #GlobalGrill are used to share photos and recipes.

• Cultural events: In cities like London, Berlin, and Istanbul, kebab festivals and cultural food fairs may occur.

Fun Facts

• The name “kebab” comes from Arabic kabāb, meaning “to burn” or “to roast”.

• The German-style döner kebab is one of the most consumed fast foods in Europe.

• Kebabs were mentioned in medieval Turkish texts as early as the 14th century.