Is leblebi craftsmanship just a trade? Read about Çorum's roasted chickpea tradition, how long apprenticeships shape identity and family business handovers.
When people think of Çorum, the first thing that comes to most minds is leblebi, the city's famous roasted chickpeas. A handful of leblebi offered during a holiday visit, a parcel sent to relatives living far away, the gift box bought by a guest visiting the city... But behind this familiar product lies effort that is not easily seen and a long path of learning. According to the Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, leblebi craftsmanship requires an apprenticeship of at least 8–10 years. In this article we look at leblebi craftsmanship not just as a trade but as an identity passed down from generation to generation: what does learning a craft give a person, what kind of inner conflict does taking over, or not taking over, the family business create, and what can families and young people do in this process?
What Is Leblebi Craftsmanship? The Figures and the Measure of a Tradition
The Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism's sources state that leblebi production in Çorum has a history of around 300 years. According to the same source, production involves three rounds of roasting with long resting periods in between. In this process, getting the chickpeas' moisture, the heat of the fire and the waiting times right is knowledge learned through experience rather than from books. This is where the statement that masters serve an apprenticeship of at least 8–10 years comes from.
This tradition also has official recognition. Çorum leblebi received geographical indication registration in 2002. According to information in the business press attributed to Anadolu Agency, there are three centres in Turkey with a geographical indication for leblebi: Çorum, the Serinhisar district of Denizli and the Tavşanlı district of Kütahya. On the raw material side, Çorum is also in a strong position; according to news reports based on a statement by the provincial agriculture directorate, 32,500 tonnes of chickpeas were produced in the province in 2023, and Çorum ranked fourth in Turkey for chickpea production.
The most recent information we have on the number of businesses is the phrase "around 200 workplaces" in a news report from 2018. This figure covers production workshops and shops together. How many production workshops there are, what annual output is and how many masters and apprentices work in the trade could not be found in official sources. In other words, it is not possible today to give a numerical answer to the question "Are leblebi masters declining?"
There is, however, an indirect sign. A master's thesis prepared in 2024 on the traditional professions still practised in Çorum (Gözel, 2024) reports that professions passed on through the master-apprentice relationship have been "almost forgotten" as a result of sociocultural change. This finding does not relate directly to leblebi, but it draws attention to the shared fragility of crafts that require long apprenticeships.
The Sociology of a Trade: Family Businesses, Shopkeeper Culture and a Changing City
Leblebi production has long been carried out within family businesses. This structure can have its own particular advantages and burdens; the following should be thought of as possible factors rather than definite causes.
Knowledge staying in the family. The master-apprentice relationship is often formed between father and child, or uncle and nephew. Knowledge is passed on not in writing but by working side by side. This creates a strong sense of belonging; but it can also lead to knowledge being concentrated in only a few people.
An industrialising city. In recent decades Çorum has also acquired the identity of an industrial city. While factories offer a regular wage, social security and set working hours, a craft requiring a long apprenticeship may look like a more uncertain path to young people.
Education and expectations. A significant proportion of families want their children to go to university and work in a "desk job". This expectation can sometimes make continuing the family business look like a "failure" or an "obligation".
Migration. Some young people move to big cities for education or work. For the masters left behind, the question "Who will I leave the shop to?" can turn into a quiet worry.
The city's shared identity. Leblebi is part of the identity not only of its producers but of the whole city. Even someone who moves from Çorum to another city often introduces themselves as being "from the home of leblebi". This shared pride can also place an invisible responsibility on the master: giving up the work can be perceived not just as a personal decision but as failing to carry on a tradition.
When these factors are considered together, it becomes clear that leblebi craftsmanship is about the continuity not of a product but of a way of life.
Leblebi Craftsmanship and Professional Identity: A Psychological Reading
Professional identity is an important part of a person's answer to the question "Who am I?" In work that is acquired through a long learning process and done by hand, this bond can be even deeper. Several dimensions make leblebi craftsmanship psychologically meaningful:
- A sense of mastery. Being able to do a job better and better over the years gives a person a sense of competence and self-worth. In psychology, this is seen as one of our basic needs.
- Meaning. A product made with your own hands finding its way to holiday tables and onto the plates offered to guests adds meaning to the work beyond the day's earnings.
- Continuity. The sentence "My father did this work too" allows a person to see themselves as a link in a chain. This sense of continuity can be something to lean on in difficult times.
- Patience and self-regulation. A production process that can stretch over months creates a world that runs counter to the expectation of quick results. Learning to wait, to observe and not to rush are skills that can be carried into other areas too.
- The experience of flow. The state psychology calls "flow", in which a person becomes completely absorbed in what they are doing and loses track of time, occurs more often in activities where skill and challenge are balanced. A master who carefully follows the roasting at the fireside is no stranger to this experience.
Learning a craft is an apprenticeship not only of the hands, but of patience and identity too.
On the other hand, that same identity can also be fragile in the face of change. A master who has placed his profession at the centre of his identity may experience a deep emptiness when the shop closes, when he retires or when he cannot find anyone to hand the work over to. We look in more detail at the quiet grief created by the end of a craft in our article on disappearing professions and grief.
"I Don't Want My Father's Trade": The Dilemma of Handing Over Between Generations
In family businesses, one of the hardest conversations is whether the work will pass to the next generation. This conversation is often never held openly; it proceeds through assumptions, hints and silent expectations.
From the young person's side, the dilemma can look like this: on the one hand, love and loyalty towards their family, the work and the tradition; on the other, their own interests, their dreams and perhaps the life they want to build in another city. Being caught between the thought "If I leave this work, I'll disappoint my father" and the thought "If I go into this work, I won't be able to live my own life" can create intense guilt and indecision.
From the master's side, the issue is often not just the future of the shop. The child choosing another path can raise questions such as "Is my labour worthless?" or "What have I ever given him?" Sometimes this hurt is expressed outwardly as anger or pressure.
Let's say a young person studying computer engineering at university works in his father's workshop every summer. His father assumes he will come back after graduating; the young man, without ever saying so, is looking for a job in Istanbul. Both stay silent to protect each other, but over time this silence turns into distance. Yet talking openly over dinner one evening might have revealed a middle way that would have eased things for both of them.
Similar tensions can arise between siblings. When one sibling carries on the business while another goes down a different path, the one who stays may feel "the whole burden is on me", and the one who leaves may feel "they see me as outside the family". When inheritance and partnership issues come up, these feelings can combine with resentments left unspoken for years and become even more complicated. That is why it is important to approach handing over the business not only as an economic matter but as part of family relationships.
What helps in situations like these is the way the conversation is held, even before the decision itself. We cover the psychological dimensions of generational handover in family businesses comprehensively in our article on conflict in family businesses.
Practical Suggestions for Families and Young People
Every family's circumstances are different, but the following suggestions can be a starting point for both masters and young people:
For masters and parents:
- State your expectation clearly, but don't impose it as a decision. There is a big difference between saying "I'd like this business to continue with you" and saying "You will do this work".
- Record the knowledge. Recipes, timings, observations... Knowledge put into writing or onto video is preserved regardless of who takes over.
- Consider middle paths. Areas such as product development, sales and digital marketing can allow a young person to combine their own interests with the family business.
- Open apprenticeship up beyond the family. Opening the door to young people who are interested in the craft but are not family members keeps the knowledge alive and can ease the "sole heir" pressure on you. Part of being a master is teaching.
- Don't tie the value of your labour to your child's choice. Even if your child chooses another profession, your years and your mastery keep their value.
For young people:
- Clarify what you want. Set aside time to put feelings of guilt and loyalty to one side and ask yourself "What do I want?"
- Don't let the conversation grow by putting it off. A decision left unspoken for a long time can eventually lead to a bigger rupture.
- Separate gratitude from debt. Being grateful to your family does not mean you have to live out their dream.
- Look for flexible solutions. Sometimes, instead of a full-time handover, middle paths are possible, such as helping out during the holidays, a sibling carrying on the business, or taking on one part of the work.
If you are curious about these kinds of tensions between generations in a broader context, you can take a look at our article on intergenerational conflict.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Feeling undecided about career choice and family expectations is entirely natural. However, in the following situations it may be helpful to talk to a professional:
- If the decision about the family business has been affecting your sleep, appetite or concentration for a long time
- If feelings of guilt have become so heavy that you cannot make any decisions about your own life
- If raising this subject within the family constantly leads to arguments, people not speaking to each other or silence
- If, as a master who has had to give up his trade, you feel a deep emptiness, reluctance or hopelessness
- If, because you define your identity solely through your work, your life outside work seems meaningless
These signs do not on their own mean a diagnosis; but they show that the difficulty you are experiencing is worth talking about. Individual therapy can offer a space to think through such decisions in a safe setting.
How Are Professional Identity and Family Expectations Approached in Therapy?
The first step in therapy is to understand, without judgement, the dilemma the person is in. Within the framework of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), thoughts such as "If I leave the family business I'll be ungrateful" or "My father will never forgive me" are identified, and how realistic these thoughts are is examined together. The person's values are clarified; the aim is to think about the decision starting from values rather than from fears.
The schema therapy perspective can help in understanding the deeper patterns underlying such dilemmas. For example, someone who learned from childhood to put the family's needs before their own may be acting from a "self-sacrifice" pattern in adulthood. Recognising this pattern makes it easier for the person to develop a more balanced attitude towards both their family and themselves.
In work with masters who have given up their trade or are moving into retirement, the focus may be on loss and grief, finding new sources of meaning and redefining identity in a way that is not limited to work alone. Where needed, sessions that family members attend together can also make communication easier. These sessions can take place in Çorum face to face or online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a leblebi master?
According to the Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, masters serve an apprenticeship of at least 8–10 years. This length of time comes from the subtleties of production, which are learned through experience rather than from books.
I don't want to take over the family business. Does that make me ungrateful?
No. Feeling grateful to your family and having to live the path they chose are not the same thing. What matters is being able to talk about your decision respectfully and openly.
My child doesn't want to continue my trade. How should I react?
It is understandable that you feel disappointed. Accepting this feeling and listening to your child's reasons helps you protect your relationship. Recording your knowledge or looking for middle-way solutions can strengthen the feeling that your labour will not be lost.
Why does a retired master feel a sense of emptiness?
When work that has been at the centre of one's identity for many years comes to an end, a person can lose not only their income but also their daily rhythm, their social role and their source of meaning. This feeling may ease over time; if it lasts a long time, seeking support is helpful.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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