Beloved by celebrities and the Internet alike, the Turkish chef known as “Salt Bae” is opening a new restaurant in Midtown.
Chef Nusret Gökçe went viral with his flamboyant salt sprinkling technique. Now, he is using his fame to open a NYC restaurant. Gökçe will open a steakhouse in the former China Grill space at 60 West 53rd Street in September.
The news comes as sports and pop stars like Rihanna and actors like Ben Affleck sport T-shirts with Gökçe’s meme. Tennis star Roger Federer, who won the Australian Open on Sunday, and soccer stars like Arsenal’s Mesut Özil also are fans of his food.
The restaurant is being backed by Turkish billionaire Ferit Sahenk, the media mogul behind the conglomerate, Dogus Group. Real estate moguls Alex Sapir and Rotem Rosen are also said to be backing the restaurant, according to the New York Post.
Sahenk, Sapir and Rosen also own Zuma at 261 Madison Avenue and the Nomo Soho Hotel.
Restaurant consultant Cobi Levy and Dogus Group’s Tevfik Adage helped to put the deal together.
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[NYP] —Christopher Cameron