Alaçatı restaurants are getting more flavorsome with Izmir Economics chefs. IUE Chef Erinç Mert Çelik, who blends the education he received at Izmir University of Economics (IUE), Department of Culinary Arts and Management with his studies in France, presents combination of world and Turkish cuisine to his guests in Alaçatı.
He has been cooking since his childhood and reached professionalism thanks to the international standard education he received at IUE Department of Culinary Arts and Management, indicated Çelik, and said that receiving education from international chefs at the University provided them a different point of view. Çelik, who is the Chef of Alaçatı Esnaf Restaurant, said, “I have come to realize that being a chef was the only profession that I could fully express myself. I grew up with my maternal grandmother and she was a wonderful cook. I’ve learned a lot from her. I realized that coming up with different flavors in the kitchen appealed to me a lot since I happen to like moving around and action very much”.
'Chef Viola, a great opportunity'
Çelik, who informed that he worked at Cyprus, Holland, and France, and learned about different flavors and taught about Turkish cuisine in return, reported that he would be sharing the exquisite taste of Turkish cuisine in France again in November. Çelik said that he would be working with IUE Trainer French Chef Joseph Viola in France. “France is a very significant gastronomical center. I believe I can share the best examples of Aegean and Turkish cuisine there. I will be staying in France for a long time. I would like to get to know the world cuisine better. Receiving education in this field provides a different vision. Education my University provided offered me variety of internship opportunities. We create a well-blend of national and international flavors. I got some positive feedback about this. We offer a very popular type of appetizer called ‘rilet’ in France by blending our flavors as a mashed roe. Also, the toppings I created for milk pudding specific to Alaçatı, are very popular. The blend of flavors definitely is admired greatly by our customers,” said Çelik.
