Olive Oil in the Plant-Forward Kitchen Interview Series: Mehmet Gürs of Mikla

In this interview, Chef Mehmet Gürs discusses the role of olive oil in Turkish cuisine. 

Mehmet Gürs is the chef and owner of 10 successful restaurants in Istanbul, Turkey, including the unique Mikla. He was credited by many as being the one “kicking off the contemporary restaurant scene in Istanbul” when he returned from the U.S. to start his first restaurant in 1996. His company, the Istanbul Food & Beverage Group, is at the forefront of the culinary world in Turkey. He is most known for his recent introduction of the visionary “New Anatolian Kitchen.” In this new approach, traditional and true “noble” products are treated with the utmost respect while being transformed with a blend of new and ancient techniques. Years of extensive research and a dedicated creative process together with a team of chefs, a full-time anthropologist, villagers, mothers, and grandfathers have resulted in an extensive network and a deep knowledge of the traditional habits, products, and techniques of the area. The result has been a successful cooperation between the keepers of the land and the chefs in the city. 

This recipe and video were produced by The Culinary Institute of America as an industry service, thanks to the generous support of the International Olive Council.

Learn more about olive oil at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen