Culinarist: On a Mission for Food Revolution

Jotham and Seda both studied to become diplomats but it took them many not-so-diplomatic pursuits until they set off on a mission. Armed with serious culinary background, experience of living abroad and many dreams they have come to Istanbul to bring about the food revolution.

Jotham’s interest in culinary started where his enthusiasm for political science ended: at the first year of the university. He did not give up the degree but began to work part-time at the amateur programs run by the Dutch culinary school Keizer Culinair. Later Jotham founded his own venture to organize culinary events ranging from private cooking classes and wine tastings at the people’s homes to joining an initiative of the Dutch Ministry of Health on healthy eating and running cooking demonstrations at the food markers all over Holland. A self-taught cook Jotham firmly believes that “wine and food are for everyone, not just for the ones who got specialized education“.

Seda is Izmir-born and proudly talks about the food and people of the Aegean. She grew up surrounded by excellent cooks that carefully preserved the culinary traditions of their forefathers from Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria. It took a decade of studies and corporate work in the Far East for the seeds sown by Seda’s family to sprout. Two years ago Seda sensed a need for change that brought her to Le Cordon Bleu in London. She then returned to Istanbul with a new set of skills and a desire to stir the culinary scene in the city.

Jotham and Seda met through a mutual friend and soon founded Culinarist. The name came naturally as a good umbrella for the ideas already harbored in their heads and to be born yet. “We didn’t want to choose a name that ties us down to a location, a kitchen, a place, or a language. The name is very broad and so are our plans about what we can do on the culinary arena of Istanbul,” the founders say.

Photo Courtesy Jonathan Lewis

Culinarist kicked off with hosting dinners - in the fashion of the underground restaurants that have taken off in the few past years in the US and Europe when people who don’t know each other gather to enjoy good food and company. It was somewhat similar to the Jotham’s undertakings back home and the ideas Seda brought from her own travels.

Seda explains, “When I lived in London I used to go to such places quite often. Once I went to a Jamaican underground restaurant: I had never eaten Jamaican food, I never been to Jamaica but it was so authentic and I felt like I was in Jamaica. When I came back I wanted to do similar events here in Istanbul.”

Typical Culinarist’s diner, or open table how they call the event, features a 5 course wine paired meal served for a party of 8-10 people. The menu is inspired by many ethnic cuisines yet relies on the local Turkish seasonal ingredients which often times translates into the flavors rather foreign for the Turkish palate. Such as bonito tartar the Culinarist team cooked during this year’s Istanbul bonito fever: the fact that the fatty fish typically pan-fried in Turkey made its appearance raw was sensational to many. Other successful experiment was the transformation of beet that is often times enjoyed as a pickle in Turkey: Jotham and Seda turned it into a ravioli stuffing which has become such a hit they had to triple the portion size on their subsequent events.

Not only the guests of the Culinarist’s open tables are astound - Jotham and Seda also outrage the local food vendors by their bold cooking plans. The neighborhood butcher in Cihangir keeps then in a good standing after they told him that they were going to cook the 3 kg of beef procured from him in wine, not a common culinary technique in Turkey at all.

Jotham and Seda are serious wine enthusiasts and share their knowledge through the wine pairings at the open table events, somewhat unique offering in Istanbul. Despite all the complexities of getting a decent bottle of wine in Istanbul Jotham is always on a lookout for the worthwhile labels - both international and Turkish. Among the local producers he is keenly discovering small wine houses and keeping ab eye on such Turkish wine producers as Arcadia (check their unique Sauvignon Gris - a Jotham’s favorite), Sevilen, Büyülübağ and Corvus. And really - you must hear Jotham talking about wine (and you can if you subscribe to their 2 month long wine course starting in January).

But food and wine is not the whole story. Seda says, “We want the people who come to our dinners be wowed by the location and setting too“. Culinarist’s open table events often take place at the gorgeous flat decorated with antiques in the atmospheric area of Çukurcuma. Yet Jotham and Seda don’t want to be limited by their home base and are in a constant search for new exciting places. They believe that choice of the venue transforms the dining experience so we should not be surprised about their upcoming events taking place at the unexpected venues such as old factory, run down building or maybe even a street?

Culinarist founders believe that their open tables are filling a unique niche of reasonably priced dining in Istanbul. Comparing with the other cities they both have lived they are not satisfied with the current dining scene in Istanbul. Jotham explains, “If I crave for something back home in Amsterdam there are 5-10 options just a street away. Here in Istanbul I end up going to the same places or travel really far for a good meal“. “What you get at the fine dining places in Istanbul even mediocre international cuisine or fusion restaurant in Shanghai serves in better quality and lower price,” Seda adds.

They do have their favorites among the Istanbul eateries though. Both are willing to take a trip to Aksaray for a feast at Hatay Akdeniz Sofrası or to the Kadıköy’s Ciya. Seda travels even further to eat at her favorite fish restaurant Takanik in Tarabya that does bare essentials - fish and salad on the side followed by the traditional desserts. Jotham frequents Karaköy Lokantası that he likes for the well-executed honest food and balanced fairly priced winelist. But then the best eateries in Istanbul, he says are “the kind of places that you have no idea they are there by looking from outside. You have to move past the layer’s office, stumbled upon a beauty parlor and then there are stairs to the left and after climbing them you see a little sign saying there is a restaurant in there“.

With all the imperfections in the Istanbul’s dining scene Seda who came back to Turkey after living abroad for over a decade notes with confidence, “It is great time to be in Turkey. Food revolution is happening here right now“. Foreign ingredients or exotic fruits totally unknown to the Turks before are readily available at the supermarkets. A lot more Turks are traveling, a lot more people are interested in food, trying it and learning more about it. There is great interest in wines and many new wine courses, tastings and wine bars has popped up in Istanbul recently. What was of interest for only a few becomes more accessible to anybody.

That’s why Culinarist founders enthusiastically talk about the plans. It will definitely take time for the idea of open tables and beef cooked in wine to spread and become accepted in Istanbul. But then who would refuse the luring promise of Culinarist’s events that Seda articulates, “It is an opportunity to taste traditions that you have never tasted or flavors that you never knew, make new friends, learn a bit more about wine, talk about Istanbul and about your travels”.

For upcoming events, open tables, wine course and more - visit Culinarist’s Facebook page.