Murat Abay

I’m 40. For 25 years, I’ve been working as a cook of different cuisines. After 10 years of my career, I became an executive chef at a small hotel. I looked for jobs in newspapers from time to time and I found one — “Kitchen Commis”. That job status was more significant than the job description I had. I decided to change my job. Meaning from “Executive Chef” to “Kitchen Commis”. I thought it was a break point of my carrier. But I was wrong. I worked just in a breakfast department for 1.5 years. I felt like a vampire at the end of these 1.5 years.

My family was huge. I have got 4 brothers and 2 sisters. When I was a kid I used to work and help at some shop and restaurants to help my family living. After a while I became a cook. Now I am happy with my career choice.

My favourite cuisines are traditional Turkish cuisines, Aegean and Ottoman Palace Cuisines. I like to cook stews and dough things, and I like to eat all kinds of beans. My taste preference is sour/sweet and hot.

I like to read and if I have enough time I like to play billiards, table tennis. I also try to spend as much time as possible with my family.

I wish, there were no hungry people on the Earth.

I’ve chosen the dish «Grilled chicken thighs and breasts (Soğanlı Tavuk Kebabı) with onion, spinach, rice with gum mastic, cinnamon and saffron», because it represents my culture. The recipe was created by magnificent Sultan Suleyman for Kids Circumcision Ceremony. It was nearly 500 years ago. The dish represents grilled chicken thighs and breasts marinated in onion juice 1 day before the cooking, with onion cooked with cinnamon, bay leaf and vinegar until caramelized.