Interview with Chef Sezai Erdogan

After a memorable meal at Tugra and sitting next to the charming Executive chef of the Ciragan Palace Kempinki Hotel, I couldn't resist asking him a few questions about himself and his love of food.   Sezai Erdogan is a fascinating man that knows every back passage of this grand hotel, as he has been at the Kempinski Istanbul since its opening in 1990. He has worked with world-famous, Michelin-starred chefs including Alain Ducasse, Roger Verge, Michel Troisgros and Marc Meneau, organized Turkish Food festivals at the Plaza Hotel in New York and now he is back at the Ciragan Palace as their first Turkish Executive chef.   “Using regional products is vital for the taste of the food” says a chef that has a deep knowledge of Anatolian cuisine.

Where are you from originally?

I was born and grew up in Istanbul. However my roots is Bolu, Western Black sea.

What do you most love about Istanbul?

History,culture and cosmopolitan

What is your most popular dish among clients?

International dishes:

Wild Seabass with sauteed vegetable, Chicken curry with pineapple, Buffalo mozzarella with Basil pesto

Turkish dishes:

Testi Kebab, Centik Kebab, Monk fish wrapped in wine leave, Seabass with Mastic sauce

What is your personal favorite dish?

All kinds of fish from the local sea and all types of local vegetable cooked in olive oil. I basically love everything!

Your most memorable meal at a restaurant?

Sushi at the Okura hotel / Tokyo

Lamb dishes Beyti /Istanbul

Pepper spaghetti /Venice

Baklava dessert/ Gaziantep/Turkey

What countries are on your food travel wish list?

Japan

India

Thailand

A secret Food place(restaurant or shop) in Istanbul that we should go and visit?

Beyti in Yeselkoy www.beyti.com

Turkish Delight at Haci Bekir Lokum in Eminönü www.hacibekir.com

Kebabs at Develi in Kalamis www.develikebap.com

Turkish coffee at Mehmet Efendi in Eminönü www.mehmetefendi.com

A few dishes Sezai spoke about that you may not know:

Centik Kebab – Grilled marinated lamb & chicken cubes laid on crispy string potato, garlic yogurt, tomato, peppers, finished with lightly spiced butter.

Testi Kebab – A dish from Central Anatolia and the Mid-Western Black Sea region, consisting of a mixture of meat and vegetables cooked in a clay pot or jug over fire (testi means jug in Turkish). The pot is sealed and cracked open at the table.

Mastic Sauce - Have a look what Wikipedia says it is. http://en.wikipedia.org

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