Chippy boss branded ‘Salt and Vinegar Bae’ meets the REAL Salt Bae after being praised for world-first 24-carat gold cod
THE CHIPPY boss dubbed ‘Salt and Vinegar Bae’ has flown to Turkey to meet his hero, the original Salt Bae.
Ozan Bakici, 27, from South East London was invited to one of the infamous celebrity chef’s restaurants after he made headlines for his own signature dish.
Ozan, who runs the Anchor in Bexley, said that meeting his inspiration was a really great experience.
He was invited to eat at the star’s Nusr-Et airport restaurant after flying to Istanbul, and even got snapped with his hero.
He then went to Salt Bae‘s coffee shop just across from the restaurant and was treated to a 24-carat cappuccino.
Ozan said that Salt Bae waited for him in his restaurant before he had to fly, and even cooked for his wife as well.
He said: “He cooked me a 24-carat burger and brought it over to me. I told him my wife was coming to meet me and he made her one too.”
Nusret Gökçe, otherwise known as Salt Bae, rose to fame after he was filmed sprinkling salt on a customer’s steak in 2017.
Off the back of his viral video recorded in Turkey, Salt Bae opened high-end restaurants in Dubai, New York and London – where a single steak could cost you an eye-watering sum of £1,450.
According to Ozan, Salt Bae’s viral clips served as the inspiration for the chippy’s world-first 24-carat gold cod.
Ozan said: “I wanted to create something like that would draw customers in and give them a bit of a ‘wow factor’.
“I wanted to put my twist on Salt Bae’s creations by creating a golden cod — I’m calling myself Salt and Vinegar Bae.”
Ozan batters the fish traditionally before he covers it in gold leaf that he bought for £90.
He then places it on, piece by piece, layer by layer, until the whole fish was covered.
He also sprinkles the chips that accompany the cod with a gold spray.
He said: “It was all completely edible. Gold leaf is very tricky to work with though.
“It is thinner than paper so if you move too quickly or aren’t careful, it will break and you will lose all than money.”
Ozan came up with the golden fish idea to celebrate the first anniversary of his shop opening in Albany Park.
Ozan said: “I am a self-taught chef and very proud of the business I have grown myself.
“Some of my customers have lived in the area for 30 or 40 years and visit my chippy. It makes me very proud.
“All the hard work I have put in has really put the Anchor on the map.
“I have also had people from Birmingham and as far as America and New Zealand visit my shop.
“I think we have expanded beyond being a local chippy.”