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Turkish cuisine is largely a legacy of Ottoman cuisine. The Ottomans blended culinary traditions from various regions, including influences from Mesopotamian, Greek, and Egyptian cuisines, as well as traditional Turkish elements from Central Asia. Turkish cuisine also includes dishes invented in the Ottoman palace and has influenced other neighboring cuisines.
Turkish cuisine's appealing flavors are popular worldwide, with various chefs creating delicious dishes. Here is a list of Turkey's most famous chefs:
Ali Güngörmüş
Chef Ali Güngörmüş was born in Tunceli in 1976, and his family was initially opposed to his culinary ambitions. However, his passion led him to culinary education. He became the first Turkish chef to receive a Michelin star, awarded to his restaurant Le Canard Nouveau in Hamburg in 2006. Interestingly, in 2014, he opened the Pageou restaurant in Munich, named after the village where he spent his first ten years in Eastern Anatolia. Pageou offers bistronomy services. Ali Güngörmüş has also authored three cookbooks.Fatih Tutak
Fatih Tutak was born on August 31, 1985, in Istanbul. He received his initial professional training at Bolu Mengen Culinary School. Chef Tutak worked in the kitchen of Marina Bay Sands and prepared meals in one of the world's top restaurants as selected by Restaurant Magazine. Noma, chosen as one of Copenhagen’s best restaurants in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014, was among his prestigious experiences. He was the Chef and Kitchen Operations Director at House of Sathorn in Bangkok, where he introduced a menu based on Turkish cuisine, including a dish named 'Annemden,' inspired by Turkish manti. His first restaurant, Turkish Fatih Tutak, opened in Istanbul and was listed by CNN Travel as one of the "Top 20 New Restaurants in the World for 2020." In 2022, the Michelin Guide announced 53 selected restaurants from Istanbul, with Turk Fatih Tutak receiving two Michelin stars.Dilara Erbay
Dilara Erbay is a distinguished Turkish chef and food artist known for developing her creative cuisine known as Abracadabra. Her cooking focuses on fresh, seasonal, and natural foods. She opened an artisanal bakery in Brooklyn, New York, transforming the Abracadabra concept into a craft deli offering healthy and organic foods with Turkish influences.Mehmet Gürs
Mehmet Gürs was born to a Turkish father and a Swedish-Finnish mother. Educated in the U.S., he brought American and Italian classics to his restaurants in Istanbul. Mehmet Gürs operates 19 successful restaurants, including the NumNum chain, Trattoria Enzo, Terra Kitchen, and even the Kronotrop specialty coffee shop. His most famous restaurant, Mikla, was ranked 44th on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2018. Gürs also runs an educational YouTube channel sharing his knowledge and research on Turkish culinary traditions and heritage.Maksut Aşkar
Maksut Aşkar is one of Turkey’s renowned chefs who has modernized Turkish cuisine across various restaurants. He owns Multi, LilBitz, and Sekiz Istanbul, among others. His restaurant, named after him, Maksut Restaurant, is listed among the World's 50 Best Restaurants with its concept Neolokal. Each dish at Neolokal is treated as a work of art, and Aşkar also organizes edible art exhibitions.Musa Dağdeviren
Musa Dağdeviren is known for introducing a wide range of traditional regional dishes from across Turkey. His restaurant, Çiya Sofrası, offers a unique, affordable, and casual dining experience with specialties chosen by the chef himself. Musa Dağdeviren appeared in the fifth season of Netflix's "Chef's Table," and his restaurant is referred to as a "memory kitchen."Mehmet Dikmen
Mehmet Dikmen has showcased his skills away from his hometown, with a restaurant named Burgaz Ada in Tokyo. His restaurant is considered one of the best in Japan’s capital. Chef Mehmet participated in the Japanese cooking competition ‘Go Kitchen, Go’ and won one million dollars.Somer Sivrioğlu
Somer Sivrioğlu is known as Masterchef in Turkey and has gained recognition in Australia as a Turkish chef and television personality. Moving to Australia at the age of 25, Somer Sivrioğlu introduces Sydney to elegant and modern Turkish cuisine through his two restaurants, Efendy and Anason.Nusret Gökçe
Nusret Gökçe, known as Salt Bae due to his unique meat cooking and seasoning style, is a Turkish butcher, chef, and restaurant owner who became an internet phenomenon. He owns the Nusr-et restaurant chain, which has branches worldwide. Nusret left school at a young age due to financial issues and worked in a butcher shop, where he honed his skills. He later learned cooking techniques from various restaurants and traveled to Argentina and the U.S. for work trips to explore different culinary cultures. Nusret Gökçe opened his restaurant, Nusr-Et, and became a renowned chef with over 400 employees.Burak Özdemir
Burak Özdemir is a famous Turkish chef recognized for his videos featuring large kebabs and desserts. He owns the Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası restaurant chain with over a thousand employees. Burak Özdemir is a highly talented chef who draws on dishes from various cultures.
With a rich and ancient cuisine developed through centuries of interaction with other cultures, Turkey now has a new generation of chefs who continue to blend Turkish cuisine with some of the world's finest examples.
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