Fatih Tutak is not just the rising star of turkish cuisine but is also an important addition in the broader perspective of a new Mediterranean cuisine
by Sophia Negri
Fatih Tutak, born in Istanbul in 1985, has a clear and determined concept of cooking as the result of a professional career that has unfolded worldwide.
Tutak combines many different elements and mixes them with the stories of the countries where he has worked. Every dish he prepares, has an ever-different and unique result. The complexity of the various sensorial nuances earned Fatih Tutak’s restaurant Turk, two stars in Istanbul’s Michelin Guide.
In his restaurant, Fatih searches for long-lost ingredients and techniques: seasoned duck meat that evokes Ottoman history; or beef kavurma where he replaces the traditional fried preparation with oven baking.
Commenting on the award, Fatih declared: «It’s such an honour to be awarded two stars in the very first edition of the Michelin Guide for Istanbul. The successful reopening of Turk was a testament to how the team united during the pandemic, and I am incredibly proud of each of them. Achievements like this, encourage us to continue on this path and push our boundaries even further». He attributes his professional choice to the feeling of pleasure and joy that his mother’s cooking always brought to the family table.
In the centre of the picture, Fatih Tutak with his team. He experienced a lot around the world. First of all, at the Noma in Copenhagen. Then many others: Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing and Qingdao, up until The House of Sathorn in Bangkok.
Turk celebrates the diversity and micro-seasonality of Turkish food, with dishes born from in-depth research of historical cooking, sustainability, and the implementation of techniques acquired during Fatih’s experiences abroad, all touched by his nostalgic memories. With Turk, he aims to build a new narrative in Turkish cuisine.
(Fatih Tutak, New Mediterranean Cuisine – Barchemagazine.com – January 2023)
