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Nusret Gökçe (Turkish: [nusˈɾet ɟœcˈtʃe]; born August 9, 1983), better known as Salt Bae, is a Turkish butcher, chef, and restaurateur. Gökçe's technique for preparing and seasoning meat became an internet meme in January 2017. He founded Nusr-Et, a chain of luxury steak houses.[2] As of 2021, Nusr-Et has branches in Turkey, Greece, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The name of the restaurant chain comes from his own name and et, which means "meat" in Turkish.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Nusret Gökçe was born in Paşalı [tr],[3] a village in Şenkaya district of Erzurum Province, to a Kurdish family.[4][5] His father, Faik, was a mineworker. The family's finances forced him to leave school in the sixth grade (aged 11–12) to work as a butcher's apprentice in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul.[6]

Career

[edit]
A clip from the viral video

Gökçe visited several countries, including Argentina and the United States, between 2007 and 2010, where he worked in local restaurants for free in order to gain experience as a cook and a restaurateur.[6] After his return to Turkey, Gökçe opened his first restaurant in Istanbul in 2010,[7] and later opened a Dubai restaurant in 2014.[8]

In January 2017, Gökçe became more widely known as Salt Bae through a series of viral internet videos and memes that show him "suavely" cutting meat and sprinkling salt,[9] such as "Ottoman Steak", posted on his restaurant's Twitter account.[10] The post was viewed over 16 million times on Instagram, after which he was dubbed "Salt Bae" due to his peculiar way of sprinkling salt: dropping it from his fingertips to his forearm, and then onto the dish.[9] Due to the viral exposure gained from this post, Gökçe's profile has expanded enormously and he has served many celebrities and politicians from around the world.[11][12]

Critical reception

[edit]

Despite the international fame, early professional reviews in 2018 of his New York City steakhouse were generally negative.[13][14] The New York Post's Steve Cuozzo called the restaurant "Public Rip-off No. 1" and Joshua David Stein writing in GQ called the steak mundane and the hamburgers overcooked.[13] Other critics described the dishes as, "as over-salted as they are overpriced",[15] the "meat was tough with globs of fat and gristle, and severely lacking in flavor",[16] and that "finishing a meal there constitutes some kind of personal victory over your own body and instincts and mouth".[17] Other reviewers described the dining experience as "overpriced".[12][18]

The spectacle with which Gökçe performed his tableside preparations, however, garnered a more positive reception.[19] Eater's Robert Sietsema states, "If you are intent on judging New York's new branch of Nusr-Et only as a steakhouse, you'll probably be disappointed ... If, on the other hand, you appraise the place as dinner theater, you will find it satisfying—but only if Salt Bae is in the house".[19] Gökçe's Manhattan burger bar, once dubbed New York's worst restaurant, closed in 2023, three years after opening.[20]

Controversies

[edit]
A caricature clay bust representing Nusret Gökçe in the attire featured in the "Salt Bae" meme, bearing the inscription "#Downfall" across its chest, a commentary on the public backlash and perceived decline of his fame.

In December 2017, Gökçe was criticized for a photo taken in 2016—in which he posed in front of, and mimicked, a photo of former Cuban president Fidel Castro.[21]

A video of September 2018, showing Gökçe serving food to the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro at an Istanbul restaurant, was criticised because of food shortages in Venezuela. Protests erupted at his Miami restaurant as a result.[citation needed]

In November 2019, four of Gökçe's former employees accused him of taking a share of their tips. They alleged that they were fired from his New York restaurant when they tried to ask questions about the tips. A trial was set to take place to investigate the issue, until Gökçe reached a settlement with his former employees and paid them $230,000. Explaining why he had fired them, he said: "I was not satisfied with the performance of the four employees... Since they were fired, they acted with the feeling of 'look what we are going to do to you' and put forward these tip allegations."[22]

In late September 2020, his restaurant in Boston was ordered to close by public health officials several days after it opened due to violations of COVID-19 safety standards.[23] It reopened in early October 2020.[24] In October 2021, Gökçe came under scrutiny from the British media over a £37,000 bill for a meal at one of his UK restaurants.[25][26]

After the 2022 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France in December 2022, Gökçe was again the focus of online criticism after joining the Argentine players on the field post-match, disturbing the players, biting their medals, and handling the trophy, a gesture reserved for winners and heads of state.[27] As a result, FIFA launched an investigation into Gökçe's actions after the final.[28][29]

In February 2024, it was reported that Gökçe's Knightsbridge restaurant in London, which serves steaks priced at almost £700, was turning off the heat while pre-tax profits rose 44% to almost £3.3m in 2022 as turnover soared almost 66% to £13.6m.[30] In September 2024, however, the restaurant reported a £4.2m drop in revenue from £13.6m to £9.3m, with profits falling from £3.3m to £2.2m.[31][32] In April 2023, the same London restaurant also faced accusations that former staff members were the victims of tip theft and discrimination according to a Business Insider investigation.[33]

Philanthropy

[edit]

Gökçe has been involved with charitable work, such as building a school in his hometown of Erzurum.[34] Gökçe stated on Instagram that he had built a library, a guest house, a mosque, an English education center and a computer laboratory in the town.[35]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Salt Bae

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from Grokipedia
Nusret Gökçe (born August 9, 1983), professionally known as Salt Bae, is a Turkish , , and who rose to international prominence through videos showcasing his theatrical technique of slicing meat and sprinkling salt onto it with a dramatic wrist flick. Born into a working-class family in , Gökçe began his career as a after leaving due to financial hardships, honing his skills over years in before opening his first Nusr-Et steakhouse there in 2010. The 2017 viral video of Gökçe's salt-sprinkling gesture amassed millions of views, transforming his modest eatery into a global brand with Nusr-Et locations across multiple countries, emphasizing high-end steaks often priced exorbitantly and served with ostentatious presentation. His fame attracted celebrities and led to expansions, though the chain has faced scrutiny over inflated menu costs, inconsistent food quality relative to price, and operational challenges including lawsuits from employees alleging tip mishandling. Gökçe's unorthodox pitch invasions, such as during the where he handled the trophy without authorization, have drawn criticism for breaching protocols and highlighting his self-promotional style. Despite such incidents and reports of declining buzz, Nusr-Et continues to operate, underscoring Gökçe's enduring impact from viral to luxury dining entrepreneur built on visual spectacle over traditional culinary acclaim.

Early Life

Childhood in Erzurum

Nusret Gökçe was born on August 9, 1983, in Paşalı, a village in the Şenkaya district of , , to a Kurdish family experiencing economic hardship. His father, Faik Gökçe, worked as a mineworker, while his mother, Fatma, managed the household amid limited resources typical of rural mining families in the region. Facing ongoing financial pressures, the family relocated from to Darıca, a coastal area near , when Gökçe was two years old, seeking better opportunities away from the harsh eastern Anatolian conditions. These circumstances forced Gökçe to drop out of after completing sixth grade, at approximately age 12, to contribute to the family's income through initial manual labor tasks. This early exit from formal education underscored the direct economic imperatives driving child labor in impoverished households, prioritizing immediate survival over prolonged schooling.

Apprenticeship and Initial Work Experience

Nusret Gökçe commenced his butchery at age 13, following his withdrawal from school in the amid familial financial constraints. Initially employed at a butcher shop in Istanbul's district, he performed entry-level tasks under mentorship, absorbing foundational techniques in meat handling and preparation through repetitive, hands-on practice. This period involved grueling schedules exceeding 13 hours daily, seven days per week, emphasizing physical endurance amid the demands of sharpening knives, portioning cuts, and managing raw meat in a high-volume environment. Over the ensuing years, Gökçe advanced through successive roles at multiple butcher establishments, refining precision in carcass breakdown and cut standardization via trial-and-error adjustments guided by senior butchers. Exposure to competitive urban markets honed his efficiency, as he navigated fluctuating demands for consistent quality and speed, fostering an intuitive grasp of meat textures and flavors absent formal culinary training. This phase, extending until his mandatory , built core competencies through empirical repetition rather than theoretical instruction, instilling a disciplined amid the trade's unforgiving physicality.

Career Beginnings

Move to Istanbul and Butcher Shop Ownership

In the early , following over a decade of and work in Erzurum's local shops, Nusret Gökçe relocated permanently to to advance in the city's more competitive and high-volume meat trade. 's meat markets, characterized by intense rivalry among suppliers and a demand for consistent quality in a exceeding 10 million, offered greater scale but higher risks, including fluctuating wholesale prices and stringent hygiene regulations under Turkey's evolving food safety standards. Gökçe immersed himself in these environments, working long hours in prominent operations to refine his techniques in meat selection, aging, and preparation, gradually establishing a personal reputation for precision amid the fast-paced urban dynamics. By 2010, at age 27, Gökçe achieved independence by opening his first Nusr-Et establishment in Istanbul's upscale neighborhood, partnering with and Mithat Erdem to mitigate startup capital risks in a saturated sector where small independents often failed due to vulnerabilities and acquisition challenges. The venue operated initially with 10 tables and 10 staff, emphasizing premium dry-aged sourced from vetted suppliers, which commanded higher margins but required upfront investments in and aging facilities to compete against established chains. This move marked a shift from labor to ownership, exposing Gökçe to entrepreneurial pressures like daily revenue variability—reportedly generating significant early sales, such as claims of 150,000 (around £4,500 at the time) on —while navigating local preferences for fresh, halal-certified meats in a market influenced by economic fluctuations and import dependencies. Customer loyalty in these formative years stemmed from Gökçe's hands-on approach to , including direct oversight of carcass inspections and custom cuts, which differentiated his shop in a landscape dominated by volume-driven vendors with minimal personalization. Without reliance on , repeat business grew through word-of-mouth in Istanbul's tight-knit culinary networks, prefiguring his later performative style but rooted in tangible deliverables like superior marbling and tenderness in offerings such as ribeye and tenderloin. This foundation underscored the causal link between operational rigor and retention, as inconsistent sourcing could erode trust in a city where meat freshness directly impacted health perceptions and vendor credibility.

Development of Signature Style

Nusret Gökçe refined his performative meat-handling techniques during his operations as a in , evolving practical butchery methods into a distinctive style that emphasized dramatic precision in and . Having apprenticed in local shops where he mastered traditional cutting and , Gökçe incorporated theatrical flourishes—such as movements and salting—to enhance visual appeal and ensure even distribution of salt without direct hand contact, thereby elevating routine tasks into engaging displays. This development occurred primarily in the lead-up to and during the early years of his own establishment, Nusr-Et, which opened in Istanbul's district on December 3, 2010, with just 40 seats. The style served as a in the competitive urban meat market, fostering customer interaction by turning preparation into a live performance that drew crowds and built loyalty through memorability. Prior to 2017, Gökçe's approach garnered local recognition in for transforming standard butchery into an art form, with his outlet achieving rapid success attributed to this innovative presentation that blended skill with showmanship, without reliance on external culinary awards or validations.

Rise to International Fame

The 2017 Viral Video

On January 7, 2017, Nusret Gökçe posted a short Instagram video from his restaurant account @nusr_et, depicting the finishing of an Ottoman steak—a bone-in ribeye marinated in mustard, grilled, sliced tableside, and sprinkled with salt in a theatrical manner by balancing the seasoning on his elbow before letting it cascade over the meat. The clip, captioned "Ottoman steak," rapidly gained traction through organic shares across social media platforms, accumulating hundreds of thousands of likes and comments within days and eventually millions of views without any paid promotion. The video's dissemination accelerated when a Twitter user, @lolalissaa, reposted it with the caption dubbing Gökçe "," a portmanteau of "salt" and "bae" ( for a romantic partner or something admired), which encapsulated his dramatic flair and propelled the content into status via . This nickname stuck, transforming Gökçe's personal butchery quirk into a widely mimicked and referenced phenomenon, as users replicated the gesture in unrelated contexts, fostering viral loops independent of traditional marketing. The organic virality triggered an immediate surge in international visibility, with the video drawing attention from global media outlets and early interactions that amplified its reach and sparked demand for Gökçe's style beyond . This unprompted escalation in awareness, driven by algorithmic sharing and rather than orchestrated campaigns, marked the causal ignition of Gökçe's transition from local butcher to global figure.

Founding and Early Success of Nusr-Et

Nusret Gökçe established the first Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Istanbul's neighborhood in , operating initially with just eight tables and ten employees focused on premium cuts of meat prepared with his honed butchery techniques. The venture drew early support from Turkish businessman Ferit Şahenk of the Doğuş Group, who invested after being impressed by Gökçe's meat preparation during a visit, enabling modest scaling within prior to widespread fame. This foundation emphasized Gökçe's self-taught expertise from years as a butcher's apprentice and his commitment to sourcing high-quality , positioning Nusr-Et as a niche player in Istanbul's dining scene rather than a subsidized enterprise. The January 7, 2017, Instagram video of Gökçe seasoning an Ottoman —garnering over 16 million views—ignited explosive domestic demand, transforming the original location from a steady performer into a reservation hotspot where tables filled months in advance due to the allure of witnessing his signature style alongside substantial offerings. Turnover accelerated as customers, drawn by the novelty of Gökçe's theatrical presentation combined with rigorously sourced, dry-aged meats, generated high table utilization and repeat visits from local elites and early influencers, reflecting unprompted market validation of his branding without reliance on institutional backing. This surge validated Gökçe's organic growth model, prompting internal expansions like the outlet to meet surging Turkish consumer interest, with early post-viral metrics underscoring efficient operations: rapid booking cycles ensured near-full occupancy, bolstering revenue through premium pricing on items like the mustard-marinated bone-in ribeye while maintaining via Gökçe's hands-on oversight. The success exemplified a free-market dynamic where viral consumer enthusiasm, not external subsidies, drove scalable demand for Gökçe's personalized experience rooted in traditional butchery elevated by performative flair.

Business Expansion and Operations

Global Restaurant Openings

Following the 2017 viral video, Nusr-Et pursued aggressive international expansion, beginning with its first location in at 999 Brickell Avenue in November 2017. This was swiftly followed by the New York Midtown debut in January 2018, establishing a foothold in high-traffic, affluent urban centers. Subsequent U.S. openings included in September 2020, contributing to a total of six American outlets by early 2024. European entry materialized with the London Knightsbridge restaurant on September 23, 2021, after earlier delays. In the , a branch opened on November 26, 2021, as the chain's 28th location overall, situated in the U Walk complex to target upscale shoppers and diners. These venues emphasized prime in luxury districts, drawing initial crowds via Gökçe's performative salt-sprinkling ritual amplified by virality. To align with the spectacle-driven , Nusr-Et incorporated adaptations such as gold-leaf-adorned steaks in its menus across new sites, enhancing visual appeal for Instagram-worthy presentations. By early 2024, the chain had scaled to 31 restaurants spanning 17 cities in seven countries, reflecting a strategy of prioritizing markets with wealthy demographics capable of sustaining .

Business Model and Revenue Strategies

Nusr-Et employs a high-margin operational model emphasizing premium beef sourcing, theatrical presentation, and luxury add-ons to justify elevated pricing structures. Signature steaks, often Australian or USDA prime cuts, range from $200 to over $1,000 per portion, with select items incorporating 24-karat for visual opulence that signals exclusivity. This pricing captures value from customers' for the combined sensory experience of rare ingredients and performative service, where staff replicate Nusret Gökçe's salt-sprinkling gesture to elevate the dining ritual beyond mere consumption. Gökçe has defended the strategy against overpricing critiques by highlighting input quality—such as dry-aged meats and imported specialties—and demonstrated demand through sustained patronage from high-net-worth individuals, including celebrities whose visits amplify . Gross margins at representative outlets, like the London location, have reached 54%, with EBITDA at 24%, reflecting efficient cost controls on food relative to revenue from upsold beverages and sides amid the premium positioning. Revenue diversification extends to merchandise, including branded t-shirts, hats, and Gökçe's signature salt blends sold via online channels and in-restaurant, capitalizing on the personal brand's viral equity without diluting core dining focus. Initial growth from Gökçe's butcher roots in 2010 relied on self-generated cash flows, funding the first Nusr-Et opening without , which propelled a $1.2 billion enterprise valuation by April 2018 via investor stakes in the holding entity. This bootstrapped trajectory underscores a causal link between brand-driven foot traffic and scalable margins, predating broader .

Recent Contractions and Financial Challenges

By mid-2025, Nusr-Et had significantly contracted its U.S. operations, retaining only two locations in and after closing several high-profile sites, including the Beverly Hills outpost on June 4, 2025, the Meatpacking District restaurant in in May 2024, the location in early 2025, and others such as and . This downsizing reflected a strategic pivot toward international expansion, with plans for five new openings outside the U.S. amid waning domestic demand. In the UK, Nusr-Et's restaurant reported a pre-tax loss of £5.4 million for the 2024 fiscal year, despite turnover increasing to £10 million from £9.3 million the prior year. The shortfall stemmed primarily from a £6.6 million impairment charge tied to the of U.S. assets following closures, as the U.S. operations are a of the UK entity. Contributing factors included diminished novelty from Gökçe's viral persona, persistent negative reviews criticizing overpricing and quality, and pressures exacerbated by global economic strains. Efforts to mitigate included price reductions at site in early 2025, yet these failed to reverse revenue erosion in select markets, highlighting risks of overreliance on experiential branding over sustained culinary appeal.

Culinary Techniques and Brand Identity

Salt-Sprinkling Gesture and Performance

Nusret Gökçe's salt-sprinkling gesture entails pinching salt crystals with three fingers in a precise grip, retracting the and to create tension, and releasing the in a deliberate, arcing that descends onto the surface before being worked in by hand. This motion ensures even distribution while emphasizing drama through slowed pacing and direct with the viewer or . Originally developed as a functional butchery practice in Gökçe's operations for optimal flavor penetration from the meat's exterior inward, the technique transitioned into overt via short-form videos that amplified its theatricality for audience captivation. Gökçe has attributed the gesture's form to his innate sensory connection to meat preparation, refining it over years of hands-on work before its stylized presentation in . Within Gökçe's brand, the serves as a core performative element, integrated into both promotional videos and live interactions to generate sensory theater that heightens memorability and differentiates standard butchery from . By framing as a ritualistic finale to meat cutting, it elevates the preparation process into a visually compelling , encouraging shares and across social platforms. The gesture's causal role in enhancing manifests in the disproportionate attention to videos featuring it, which propelled Gökçe's content from niche butchery demos to global memes, correlating with spikes in follower growth and interaction rates post-exposure. This performative evolution underscores a shift from utilitarian skill to branded , verifiable through the sustained replication in service protocols across locations. Nusr-Et restaurants primarily offer premium cuts of , including ribeye—such as the signature Ottoman Steak, a thick bone-in ribeye (often presented as a tomahawk cut) marinated in mustard, grilled, and finished tableside with dramatic carving and the iconic salt-sprinkling gesture, distinguishing it from other menu items like the Şırt Steak (tenderloin with hot rendered beef fat insertion) or the butter-basted Nusr-Et Special and emphasizing the brand's theatrical luxury dining experience—, New York strip, —such as the signature Nusr-Et Special tenderloin prepared tableside and served sizzling in creamy butter—and steaks, with a focus on high-quality sourcing and tableside finishing techniques such as sizzling presentation. Appetizers feature innovative items like sushi made from thinly sliced New York strip topped with cream, crispy potato, and , alongside . Sides consist of simple accompaniments such as mashed potatoes and , while desserts include Turkish to incorporate cultural elements from founder Nusret Gökçe's heritage. Pricing at Nusr-Et is structured around the costs of procuring select, high-grade meats—often imported premium —and the labor-intensive processes of on-site butchery, seasoning, and cooking that demand skilled personnel. For example, standard steaks range from several hundred dollars, escalating for larger cuts like the , while innovations such as 24-karat leaf applications on filets or tomahawks push prices above $1,000 per serving, reflecting the added material expense and artisanal application. This positions Nusr-Et in the luxury segment, where affluent customers voluntarily pay premiums comparable to competitors like those offering or aged , prioritizing exclusivity over mere sustenance. The model's pricing rationale draws empirical validation from early operational success, where viral demand in 2017–2018 generated packed reservations and bills exceeding $100,000 for groups, indicating market acceptance of the cost-value proposition in high-end dining before later expansions led to broader competition. Gold-adorned items, initially staples, were later adjusted or removed in some locations like by 2022, suggesting responsiveness to sustained sourcing and preparation economics amid evolving customer preferences.

Reception and Impact

Achievements and Cultural Phenomenon

Nusret Gökçe, known as Salt Bae, rose from humble origins in , , where he was born into poverty in 1983, dropping out of school at age 13 to apprentice as a without pay, honing his skills over a decade before founding Nusr-Et in in 2010. This self-made trajectory exemplifies entrepreneurial grit, transforming manual labor into a luxury brand spanning over 25 locations across seven countries by 2025. His has been estimated at up to $80 million, reflecting the financial rewards of viral innovation in a competitive market. The 2017 viral video of Gökçe's theatrical meat preparation and salt-sprinkling gesture amassed millions of views, catapulting him to global fame and establishing "Salt Bae" as an internet archetype for leveraging spectacle into commercial success. This phenomenon demonstrated how authentic performance artistry in butchery could disrupt traditional , rewarding bold presentation with endorsements and high-end clientele, thereby expanding Nusr-Et to 30 restaurants employing 2,000 people. Gökçe's approach highlighted free-market dynamics, where consumer demand for experiential novelty drove rapid scaling from a single outlet to international outposts. Culturally, Salt Bae embodied viral , influencing food media by blending showmanship with and inspiring content strategies that prioritize shareable moments over convention. His status underscored the power of unscripted digital virality, turning a butcher's flourish into a of accessible fame and market-validated creativity, with over 50 million followers amplifying his brand's reach. This legacy affirmed how individual ingenuity could democratize culinary spectacle, challenging established paradigms in .

Criticisms of Quality and Overpricing

Critics have frequently highlighted inconsistencies in the quality of food at Nusr-Et restaurants, arguing that the culinary offerings often fail to match the viral surrounding Nusret Gökçe's brand. Reviews from outlets like in 2020 described burgers at the New York location as lacking flavor, emphasizing that the dining experience prioritizes over substantive taste. Similarly, a 2018 Sydney Morning Herald assessment noted mundane and tough steaks alongside subpar cocktails, with even basic amenities like priced at $11 due to refusals of tap options. Independent diner accounts, such as those on ET Food Voyage, reported steaks as dry, under-seasoned, and devoid of proper crust, concluding the fare does not justify the promotional buildup. These observations align with broader feedback labeling the Dubai outlet as superficial, driven by rather than reliable taste or professionalism. Overpricing complaints center on menu items that command premiums disproportionate to perceived value, particularly after Gökçe's virality amplified brand visibility. Steaks have drawn ire for costs exceeding £600 in some locations, with gold-leaf variants reaching $1,400 per serving as part of bills totaling over $108,000, sparking public outrage on platforms like for exploitative markups on standard cuts. The New York Times' in 2018 pointed to a mismatch where even modest drinks felt exorbitant relative to execution, while users and discussions decry "average" steaks inflated by performative elements rather than superior ingredients or preparation. In response to backlash, Nusr-Et introduced price reductions, such as a £45 in by 2023, signaling acknowledgment of demand erosion tied to value perceptions. Despite these detractors, Gökçe has defended the pricing as reflective of luxury positioning, citing sustained expansion and customer traffic as evidence of market validation in a free-enterprise context where not all diners need endorse the model. Initial post-virality demand empirically supported high margins, with Eater noting in 2018 that core items like the Istanbul steak were "good" despite ancillary flaws, suggesting quality inconsistencies may stem from scaled operations rather than inherent flaws. Industry analyses, including a 2025 Substack piece, frame the brand's challenges as a fade of meme-driven appeal, alienating broader audiences while elite patrons sustain viability through status signaling over universal acclaim. This dynamic underscores that premium pricing in experiential dining tolerates variance, provided voluntary demand persists amid competition.

Long-Term Market Influence

Nusret Gökçe's Nusr-Et brand pioneered the integration of performative with high-end dining, accelerating the adoption of social media-driven experiential marketing across the sector. By leveraging Gökçe's viral salt-sprinkling gesture, which amassed millions of views starting in 2017, the chain demonstrated how chef-centric content could generate global buzz and foot traffic without traditional , influencing restaurants to prioritize visually captivating service elements for . This approach shifted industry norms toward "Instagrammable" moments, where spectacle often supplanted culinary subtlety, as evidenced by subsequent chains incorporating theatrical plating and chef interactions to boost online engagement. However, Nusr-Et's trajectory underscored the fragility of virality-dependent models, revealing causal limits where initial fails to sustain operations amid scaling challenges. While early expansion yielded peaks like £7 million in turnover in 2021, subsequent financial strains—including £5.4 million pre-tax losses for the arm in 2024 and international closures—highlighted risks of overreliance on rather than replicable . Empirical outcomes showed that persona-tied brands face heightened vulnerability to reputational erosion and market saturation, prompting industry observers to emphasize diversified revenue streams and consistent product delivery over fleeting memes. In challenging entrenched dining hierarchies, Nusr-Et's success validated spectacle as a democratizing force, countering gastronomic gatekeeping by proving mass-appeal theatrics could command despite critiques from establishment media decrying it as vulgar excess. This disrupted snobbery in , where traditional Michelin-focused venues prioritized restraint, fostering a wave of accessible, performance-oriented eateries that prioritize shareable experiences for broader demographics. Yet, the brand's contractions exposed inherent trade-offs: while social amplification enabled rapid scaling, it amplified on inconsistencies, informing a realist caution that enduring market presence demands substance beyond algorithmic favor.

Controversies

Workplace Allegations and Labor Practices

In 2021, former employees at Nusr-Et restaurants in New York filed lawsuits alleging a toxic workplace culture characterized by tyrannical management, discrimination, and wage theft. Plaintiffs claimed Gökçe fostered a hypermasculine environment with intense pressure to upsell, grueling shifts exceeding 72 hours per week without overtime pay, and retaliation against complainants, including firings for questioning tip pooling. Nationality-based discrimination emerged as a recurring claim, with non-Turkish employees alleging tips were systematically withheld or redistributed preferentially to Turkish staff, including Gökçe himself. A 2021 suit by a former employee detailed intentional exclusion from tip pools and termination after raising concerns, while kitchen workers were misclassified as sous-chefs to evade obligations despite performing lower-level tasks. Harassment allegations included Gökçe demanding massages from female staff and other inappropriate conduct, contributing to a reported atmosphere of fear and favoritism. Ex-employees described a "dictatorial attitude" leading to probes in 2019 for unlawful terminations tied to tip complaints. Gökçe's responses primarily involved settlements without admitting ; in October 2019, he paid $230,000 to four ex-servers over tip withholding claims, and similar resolutions closed NLRB cases by late 2020. No public defenses directly addressing the high-pressure dynamics as a driver of operational success were issued, though proponents of such environments argue they enable rapid scaling in competitive sectors. Ongoing suits as of 2023 highlight persistent labor disputes, contrasting the brand's performative flair with internal operational strains.

Political Engagements and Public Backlash

In September , Nusret Gökçe hosted Venezuelan President and his wife at his Nusr-Et restaurant in , posting Instagram videos of himself preparing and serving them Ottoman-style steaks with his signature salt-sprinkling gesture. This occurred during Venezuela's crisis, where infant rates had surged and an estimated 30% of the population subsisted on one meal per day or fewer due to food shortages and economic policies under Maduro's socialist regime. U.S. Senator publicly condemned Gökçe on , describing him as a "weirdo" for "lavishing [the] ...with a " amid such suffering, amplifying outrage among Venezuelan exiles and critics who viewed the event as tacit endorsement of Maduro's authoritarian rule. The incident sparked protests outside Gökçe's Nusr-Et location, where over 100 demonstrators gathered on September 20, 2018, chanting against Maduro and holding signs depicting starving children juxtaposed with the steak videos; similar actions occurred in New York, accompanied by a flood of one-star reviews accusing Gökçe of insensitivity or complicity. Gökçe promptly deleted the videos but offered no political commentary, with associates later framing the service as standard hospitality for a paying high-profile guest rather than ideological alignment. Mainstream coverage, often from outlets with established critiques of Maduro's policies, emphasized the humanitarian contrast, though some right-leaning commentators argued the backlash exemplified performative disconnected from Gökçe's apolitical of courting celebrities for viral publicity. A similar but muted dynamic emerged in October 2018 when dined at the New York Nusr-Et, posting an Instagram video of Gökçe personally serving steak to his table; while some online criticism questioned associations with Trump family members amid polarized U.S. politics, it elicited no organized protests or review-bombing comparable to the Maduro fallout. Observers from conservative perspectives have cited this disparity to argue that public backlash often correlates with the political leanings of the guest—intense for left-authoritarian figures like Maduro but tolerant of right-leaning ones—potentially reflecting broader cultural norms around celebrity access and boycotts, where economic hardship directly attributable to a leader's heightens scrutiny but Gökçe's neutral service intent remains uncontroverted. Gökçe has consistently positioned such interactions as brand-building, serving diverse elites without expressed partisan motives, consistent with his trajectory from Turkish butcher to global restaurateur. In 2021, five kitchen workers at Nusr-Et Steakhouse in New York filed a class-action against Nusret Gökçe and his company, alleging misclassification as sous-chefs to evade overtime pay requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Similar claims arose in a federal suit by two employees asserting they were labeled managers to avoid overtime, with the case highlighting systemic wage practices across Gökçe's U.S. operations. Multiple lawsuits have accused Nusr-Et of tip and improper distribution, including a 2019 settlement where Gökçe paid $230,000 to four former New York employees who claimed tips were withheld or shared illegally with managers. In another instance, a class-action suit alleged illegal tip pooling that favored non-service staff, though Gökçe's legal team denied wrongdoing. Discrimination allegations surfaced in 2021 when two former New York employees sued, claiming favoritism toward Turkish staff, including preferential scheduling, promotions, and tip allocations for non-Turkish workers, in violation of anti-discrimination laws. Additional suits from ex-employees described nationality-based bias, with Turkish employees receiving better treatment, though these remain unresolved in public records. A separate claim involved a former barmaid alleging by Gökçe, contributing to ongoing litigation as of 2025. Regulatory scrutiny included health code violations; Gökçe's signature bare-hand meat handling at New York and locations breached city rules prohibiting ungloved contact with ready-to-eat food, prompting operational adjustments like use. In 2020, Nusr-Et faced temporary closure for infractions, including failure to enforce and blocked exits, leading to an apology from Gökçe's counsel and fines. Business disputes tied to U.S. downsizing emerged in a Dallas project countersuit by Nusr-Et, alleging a contractor diverted $182,000 in subcontractor payments, amid broader 2024-2025 closures of five U.S. sites that incurred £5.5 million in losses for the UK parent entity due to asset write-offs. Conversely, Gökçe prevailed in a 2022 Eleventh Circuit ruling affirming that mandatory service charges at Miami's Nusr-Et were not tips subject to employee distribution, rejecting claims for additional payouts. A 2021 copyright suit by artist William Hicks sought $5 million for unauthorized use of his artwork on Nusr-Et menus and packaging, underscoring lapses in branding expansion. Vendor and closure-related claims have mounted with 2025 financial strain, though specific outcomes remain pending amid Gökçe's U.S. contraction to two locations.

Philanthropy

Contributions to Turkish Communities

Nusret Gökçe, known as Salt Bae, funded the construction of a school in his hometown of , , to support local education. In June 2018, he inaugurated a 4,000-square-meter complex in Paşalı village, , which includes facilities such as a and dining area to serve the community's religious and social needs. Following the February 2023 earthquakes in and , Gökçe deployed mobile kitchens across affected regions in , committing to provide 5,000 hot meals daily to survivors. He announced a personal donation of approximately to efforts, emphasizing the initiative's focus on immediate as his most significant philanthropic endeavor. These actions targeted Turkish communities hardest hit by the disaster, drawing praise for direct, on-the-ground support amid widespread devastation.

Specific Projects and Motivations

Nusret Gökçe, known as Salt Bae, launched a targeted effort following the February 6, 2023, earthquakes in and , which devastated southeastern and killed over 50,000 people in the country. He deployed mobile kitchens to earthquake-affected regions, including areas near the , to distribute hot meals prepared by his Nusr-Et . The operation was designed to serve at least 5,000 survivors daily, with staff cooking in large cauldrons and containers to provide sustenance amid freezing conditions and displacement. Gökçe's involvement stemmed from direct observation of the crisis's human toll, prompting him to mobilize resources for immediate food aid as a means to offer practical support and foster resilience among affected Turkish communities. In an post announcing the initiative, he described it as "the most important and meaningful service in the world for us," reflecting a personal commitment tied to his Turkish heritage and origins in . This project aligned with broader patterns in his , emphasizing hands-on assistance during national disasters rather than abstract donations, though it drew mixed reactions, with some observers questioning publicity motives amid his documentation. No other major standalone projects exclusively for Turkish communities have been publicly detailed, though Gökçe has occasionally directed restaurant proceeds toward regional causes, underscoring a motivation rooted in reciprocity to the homeland that shaped his early career as a from modest beginnings.

References

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