Famous Chefs and Restaurants of Turkey: Discover the Legends of Turkish Cuisine

Turkey's best-known chefs today range from Michelin-starred cooks such as Fatih Tutak, Mehmet Gürs and Maksut Aşkar to Musa Dağdeviren, who keeps forgotten Anatolian recipes alive, and social-media names like Nusret Gökçe and CZN Burak. Most of their restaurants are in Istanbul, so you can plan a food trip around them in a few days.

Famous Turkish chefs and where to eat their food

Fatih Tutak – TURK Fatih Tutak, Bomonti (Istanbul)

In the MICHELIN Guide Türkiye 2026 selection (announced in December 2025), TURK Fatih Tutak holds two stars. Tutak builds a tasting menu on Anatolian traditions, using techniques such as fermentation and dry-ageing. The restaurant is in Bomonti, in the Şişli district.

Mehmet Gürs – Mikla, Beyoğlu (Istanbul)

Mikla sits on the top floors of The Marmara Pera hotel, with a view over the old city and the Golden Horn. Gürs, who grew up between Turkey and Scandinavia, cooks what he calls a new Anatolian kitchen. Mikla has one star in the 2026 selection.

Maksut Aşkar – Neolokal, Karaköy (Istanbul)

Neolokal is inside the SALT Galata building in Karaköy and looks out over the Golden Horn. Aşkar reinterprets old Anatolian recipes with modern technique and works closely with small producers. The restaurant has one star in the 2026 selection.

Musa Dağdeviren – Çiya Sofrası, Kadıköy (Istanbul)

Dağdeviren was the first Turkish chef featured in Netflix's Chef's Table (season 5). At Çiya Sofrası on the Asian side he serves regional dishes that rarely appear on restaurant menus. It is a relaxed place: take the ferry to Kadıköy and walk through the market streets.

Nusret Gökçe – Nusr-Et Steakhouse

Known worldwide as "Salt Bae" after a 2017 video, Gökçe opened the first Nusr-Et in Etiler, Istanbul, in 2010. The steakhouse chain now has branches in Turkey and abroad.

Burak Özdemir (CZN Burak) – Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası

Özdemir comes from Hatay and became famous for his cooking videos. He opened his first Istanbul restaurant in Aksaray in 2011; Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası serves dishes from Hatay's Arab and Anatolian kitchens.

Ozan Kumbasar – Vino Locale, Izmir

Vino Locale became Izmir's first two-star restaurant in the 2026 selection. Ozan Kumbasar cooks with local, seasonal produce, and Seray Kumbasar runs the service and wine pairing. Worth the trip if you continue to the Aegean coast.

Tips for a food trip around Turkey's famous chefs

• Book tasting menus early. The starred restaurants work with reservations; check the dates before you fix your itinerary.
• Mix fine dining with everyday places. Çiya Sofrası or a Hatay-style dinner shows a different side of Turkish cooking than a tasting menu.
• Plan the route between districts. Bomonti, Beyoğlu, Karaköy and Kadıköy are far apart; a ferry across the Bosphorus is part of the experience.

Staying online between restaurants

Maps, reservation confirmations, menus and translation apps all need data. A pocket WiFi collected at Istanbul Airport keeps up to 6 phones and tablets online on the Turkcell and Türk Telekom networks, across Istanbul and on the way to Izmir. See the StayinWifi pocket WiFi page for prices and delivery options.

Travelling around the country? Rent a WiFi router in Turkey keeps you online from the airport to your hotel.