Chef Profile
Maksut Aşkar
✓ Verified“I want to combine the richness of Ottoman palace cuisine with the simplicity of Anatolia.”
İstanbul
Modern Turkish CuisineOttoman Archive RecipesSustainable Gastronomy
Biography
Maksut Ashkar, owner of the Neolokal restaurant in the historic Karaköy neighborhood of Istanbul, interpreted the recipes he collected from Ottoman archival documents with contemporary techniques. Located in the Salt Galata building, Neolokal is consistently ranked among the top 100 restaurants in the world. Ashkar is also one of the pioneers of Turkey's sustainable gastronomy movement.
Awards
2024
OAD Top 100 Restaurants — Neolocal
Europe & Near East list
2023
Bloomberg Pursuits — Best Restaurants
Istanbul representative