Page 79 - ISLANDER Draft 1

Ümit Çakır is the man who cook the delicious cuisine
at Taro Brasserie and his food and flavors has quickly grown popular among guests.
We interviewed the very experienced chef to learn more about his passion for food and what his favorites are, both to eat and prepare.
Name: Ümit Çakır. Family: Wife and two young daughters. Age: 41.
From: Marmaris, Turkey. Profession: Executive Chef. Living: Nicosia, North Cyprus, for the past five years.
Ümit, for how long have you been working as a chef?
I was 14 years old when I started to work in a restaurant in Turkey, it has now been 27 years since I first started.
Why did you become a chef?
I was born in a tourist area in Turkey and grew up in this kind of environment. It was a dream of mine when I was little to become a chef, so it came natural to me.
Tell us about your career as a chef.
I started to work in hotels and restaurants in Turkey by the age of 14 and I worked in many different 5-star hotels and award-winning restaurants with experienced, really good chefs which was very helpful to grow my skills as a chef.
What do you enjoy the most about your profession?
The most enjoyable moment about being a chef is to see the guests being happy and satisfied with the products/food I have prepared for them. It is my favorite part of being a chef.
Which is your favorite dish to prepare?
Since Marmaris is a seaside area in Turkey I enjoy preparing seafood dishes very much.
With this in mind, is seafood usually what is being cooked at home for the family?
Correct, seafood is a favorite for sure.
What if we instead ask you what kind of food you like to enjoy?
I love Mediterranean food because I like the vast variety of seafood choices, my personal favorite cuisine is the Spanish and Portuguese kitchen because of their style of cooking.
We have come to the last question, which is your favorite process/moment in the kitchen?
I like to play with fire, I enjoy making any dish that is prepared/cooked with fire. I also like to explore new things in the kitchen, when I find something that has not been tried yet I make research and then try to create something like it. To experiment is a joyous moment in the kitchen!
ISLANDER 79