Foto: Profimedia.rs / Shootpix/ABACA / Abaca Press
Nusret Gökçe and new extravagance We tried gold-leaf steak Is it really necessary to take a top cut of steak, served in an already pricey restaurant located in an elite area of the magical Istanbul, and cover it with molten gold leaf? And why not!?
likes of Rihanna, Al Pacino, David Beckham, Ronaldo et al. Istanbul, the city where East and West collide so impressively, in the traditional and the contemporary, has a specific vibe that’s determined to a large extent by the local cuisine. If you stroll the streets of Beşiktaş in the mornings, you won’t encounter as many people rushing around as you’ll come across those sitting at numerous cafes, peacefully enjoying their first coffee or tea of the day. And wherever there’s coffee, there’s also some delectable pastries, followed by lunch beside the Bosporus Strait and, of course, good baklava, which is much more lavish and unlike the kind to which we’re accustomed. And right there, in the midst of that fu- sion of flavours, situated in an elite part of Istanbul, immediately along- side the boutiques of the most ex- clusive fashion brands, stands one of Salt Bae’s three restaurants in this city. It is mandatory to reserve a ta- ble at Nusr-Et Maçka Palas, while the restaurant is constantly packed with people, like a busy beehive. You are awaited in the large lob-
If Nusret Gökçe is a name that doesn’t mean much to you , perhaps his nick- name, Salt Bae, might sound more familiar. Of course, if we add to this the description of a guy sporting a ponytail and John Lennon-style sun- glasses, while holding his muscular arm in a cobra strike pose as he liber- ally sprinkles rock salt onto a steak, you’ll know exactly who we’re talk- ing about. This renowned Turkish butcher, chef, restaurateur who owns a chain of steakhouses and, first and fore- most, successful entrepreneur, shot to fame when a video of him slicing meat and theatrically salting it went viral online. Memes quickly began appearing, and he grew increasingly
famous and wealthy. Evidently, his approach to the preparation and pres- entation of meat is still proving suc- cessful, because today Nusret owns 22 restaurants worldwide, where din- ers pay almost 1,200 euros for the Tomahawk, a steak with a coating of 24-karat gold. Many critics rate his food as mediocre, but he’s earned more than eight million euros just from the restaurant that he opened in London last year, and that came after just the first three months of operations. “Nusret Gökçe is now a big star, but how long will that last?” once wrote one critic, who now prob- ably realises just how mistaken he was when he wrote indignantly about this guy from Turkey who hosts the world’s biggest stars, including the
On gosti najveće svetske face poput Rijane, Al Paćina, Dejvida Bekama, Ronalda... He hosts the world’s biggest stars, including
the likes of Rihanna, Al Pacino, David Beckham, Ronaldo et al
94 | Istanbul » Istanbul
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator