about kebabs and meat; I don’t think people really see beyond that. At Okalva we try and show the wide range of different styles of food that come from Turkey, Middle East and Cyprus. Most people don’t realise there is a huge amount of vegetarian dishes from these parts of the world, so I’m always really keen to showcase vegetables on an equal footing to meat/fish dishes.
Inspired by your Turkish-Cypriot heritage do you find it challenging coming up with new dish creations?
It is definitely challenging but that is one of the most rewarding parts for me. I take great satisfaction in having that moment when a dish finally comes together and I have a story, ingredient or memory that links it to my heritage.
Favourite ingredients
Pomegranate molasses – in dressings and as a glaze.
Lamb chops – barbequed and glazed with date molasses
Turkish feta cheese – crumbled into Courgette fritters with mint
Peaches – poached lightly in a vanilla syrup
Duck – gently barbequed whole with baharat spices
Where do you find your inspiration?
I think a lot about the dishes my Mother and Grandmother used to cook and the food I was brought up on. But I also take inspiration from eating out and reading books, ideas come to me at really random times and I will jot them down for a later time when I can think about it more.
Is it challenging sourcing Turkish ingredients?
It is a little challenging. I have got used to it more and adapted some dishes to use the best of what I can get hold of from other parts of the world that may have a similar flavour profile. As Turkey is not a part of the EU, the spectrum of ingredients is not as large. But, I think we do well to source some fantastic ingredients, especially our olive oil from North Cyprus.
What’s your favourite ingredient you like to work with?
Pretty hard to pick just one but, I guess lamb. It is my favourite meat and I just love working with all the different cuts, I find the flavour works incredibly well with all middle-eastern/Mediterranean type ingredients.
Who has been your biggest inspiration throughout your career?
That would have to be my old boss Peter Gordon, he is a huge inspiration to my cooking and not only that but a chef who’s example I follow everyday, his voice is my head when I’m in the kitchen.
What is your process of menu and dish creation?
I normally have a list of random ideas I have jotted down and then as the seasons change I refer back to them and then develop the ideas further using books and research on the Internet. As we have been open over a year now I have a collection of dishes that are real hits so it’s great to be able to put them back on the menu throughout the year.
How often do you change your menus?
Some of our dishes have become regulars which stay all year and the other dishes I try to change with the seasons, sometimes twice in a season, depends on how many ideas come to me.
What is your favourite food season?
That would have to be summer. I’m all about the BBQ’s so I find this time of year so inspirational.
What’s next for the future?
I have my debut cookbook coming out in May 2017, which is very exciting. Also, we have hopes of opening another restaurant but let’s see what happens.
