Food brings people together around  the same table, brings us closer together, and helps us discover one another beyond our differences. Around a shared meal, stories are told, honest conversations begin, and bonds are built across generations, languages, or regions. Inspired by this idea, the Nokta editorial team has launched a new gastronomic project, “Gustul Neamului” (“The Taste of the Nation”) –  a show hosted by Mihail Sirkeli together with chef Daniel Gidu.

In each episode, guests cook, eat, and discuss the things that unite us as a society, with the kitchen becoming a meeting point.

The project is built on the belief that food is one of the most important pillars of social cohesion. Beyond its basic role, food creates communities, brings people closer, and becomes a universal language through which trust and shared identity are built. The rituals of growing ingredients, preparing dishes, and sharing meals help preserve traditions and strengthen relationships between people from different backgrounds.

Throughout the show, Mihail Sirkeli and his guests explore and bring back into focus culinary traditions from all corners of the country: Gagauz, Moldovan, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian. Each recipe becomes a starting point for conversations about society, identity, traditions, and the values that connect people.

“Through ‘Gustul Neamului,’ we wanted to create a space where serious topics can be discussed in an interactive and approachable way. I believe food is one of the most natural forms of social cohesion because differences fade more easily around the same table. At the same time, this project is also a tribute to local culinary traditions and the communities that keep them alive,” says Mihail Sirkeli.

The first guests of the show were Nata Albot, content creator and author of local recipe books, and Daniel Vodă, foreign policy expert.

The project will include a total of 10 episodes, each dedicated to the dialogue between gastronomy, traditions, and society. The first episodes can be watched here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnwknG-_0Jo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpMDLmKPE5U

“Gustul Neamului” aims to transform the kitchen into a space for dialogue and connection, where shared meals become opportunities for authentic conversations about society, culture, and identity.