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FOODBUZZ
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About
31 year old Turkish food enthusiast from Istanbul. I was born and raised in Turkey. After graduating from college, I moved to San Francisco and lived there for 5 years. I miss the city so much, I still cruise Craigslist rentals in the Marina area daily.
Upon completion of the MBA program at University of San Francisco, I started working at a high-tech PR agency in the North Beach area. Moved to Turkey afterwards and started working at a global electronics company as the Marketing Manager, which now I represent at our family-owned advertising agency.
My cooking adventure started during college -far away from home and my mother’s delicious food-, where I shared a countertop stove with 30 other dormmates. It was mostly pasta or omlettes, but I managed to survive. I’ve come a long way since then and thought I’d share these with others.
You can email me at sonmce@gmail.com.
Here is my Flickr page.
And here is the Turkish version of Cafe Fernando.
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DROOLING OVER
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Previously
I have known you as a “gourmet of life”, not just in food…Not having tasted as much of your delicious recipes as I had wished, I look forward to the jello version of Istanbul if you will.
Wow! Blogging in Turkey. Funny how I keep finding people all over the world who have fallen in love with San Francisco…Turkish food is very good though…you shouldn’t complain too much.
Wow Cenk! Who knew?! I had never seen this side of you before, and I thought I loved what I knew about you before…now I’m in awe! Great job with everything! I’m addicted to your site!
My fantastic, creative, incredible brother;
My family and I love your site, you are really amazing… You don’t just cook food, you combine your love and friendship and serve… I think that’s why I am 100 kg now
I am so proud of you.
Cenk, What a great website! I wish you were still in SF. I’m going for a trip at the end of July, and it won’t be the same without you. You look great — I hope all is well. All the best, Nicole
Hey Nicole. Now you made me homesick! I hope you have a great time in SF! Eat at The Slanted Door (www.slanteddoor.com) for me.
Kiss Luke for me.
Cenk
Hi there,
I was following the links through a website that I am very fond of, and saw this one and simply loved it. Not only the beautiful pictures but also the way you describe it made me love your site instantly. Great job!
So, I did’t know you were Turkish. Really proud of what I’ve seen here. Hope I get a “hello” back
Selin (www.selincaglayan.com)
Evertything looks great here
As a big fan of cooking, eating, and San Francisco, I will be visiting your website more often…:)
amazing in every sense of the term. i found your photos on flickr, and discovered your blog and boy am i impressed! please continue posting and photographing delights!
awesome blog cenk. i am now ashamed that i haven’t checked it out yet. it is very inspiring for a lazy cook like me and i especially like the layout
Zeynep - Finally Dolly! Where the hell have you been? What happened to your blog? Can’t wait to check your photos at flickr and leave nasty comments…
Hi again Cenk. I just read your profile. You used to live here! Wow. I live in Pac Heights and loving it but my city with seven hills is still very different from your city with an equal number of hills. I’m mesmerized every single time I go to Istanbul. The sights, the sounds, the shopping and the good. Cok guzel. I long to see it al again…
I am definitely bookmarking this page. Thank you.
Thank you Alicia! Actually Istanbul constantly reminds me of San Francisco. They are both wonderful cities…
There is a bread I need the recipe for. It is called Lapinja in Serbo-Croatian, but some also call it Bosnian bread and others say it is Somen. Do you know this thin chewy wonderful bread. It is not pita/peda.
Also there is a little machine in Bosnia that my son-in-law, Sejo talks of that makes the cevaps/cevapcici. Have you this in Turkey?
BTW We live 25 miles east of SF in Alamo. We have visited Turkey many years ago and enjoyed the cuisine very much!
Mary-Anne
Hi Mary-Anne - Unfortunately I have never heard of Lapinja or cevaps/cevapcici. Sorry.. Glad to hear that you enjoyed our cuisine. I will try to add more Turkish recipes in my blog, so keep an eye.
I was on Selin’s blog, and just felt clicking your name, wondering why a man leaves comment on ‘pirasa’ (you guys usually do not like it) and just loved your pictures.
Songül,
P.S. S.F. is also my favorite city.
As I consider myself amongst a few who were privileged to taste your early works of menemen and pasta, I miss your cooking and your company.
Keep in touch.
I just found your blog which I will be enjoying. I have visited Turkey, and find that Istanbul reminded me of San Francisco in some regards…
I’m putting yours in my favorites!
Congratulations!!! I’ve just seen your blog and I must tell u that your recipes are great..I’ll try some of them then I’ll write my comments promised, but I’m sure they are soo delicious…By the way your blog is loooking really nice. Good job!
Elcin
Recently you updated your banner, and it is really beautiful. I love the beautiful dark blue sparkling with pinks, yellows, and reds. A beautiful design feature, Cenk.
Thank you Shaun! Actually, it is a painting by a very famous Turkish painter called Mustafa Pilevneli. I morphed the painting into a horizontal banner - with his permission of course.
You can check out his portfolio at www.mustafapilevneli.com
The website is in Turkish but you can still navigate through his paintings.
Hey Cenk, your website is absolutely fantastic. I just love it. It is so eye-catching that I cannot help myself trying some of them
Thank you Betul!
Hersey cok ama cok guzel basarilarin devami dilegi ile ben de 1 ay a kadar yurtdısına cıkacagim.Artik ordan takip ederim.
Mustafa MERİC
My daughter is off to university for her 3rd year. The difference this year is that she transfered to Vancouver to take Food Sciences because they no longer offer what she needs here…so she will be living in the dorms. You would probably have many stories to tell of your culinary days at university. She has a toaster oven, a crock pot, a kettle and a coffee maker for her room. She will have to get creative!!!!
Hi Valli - Since she is studying Food Sciences,I am sure she will be quite OK! She shoul start a blog and tell us all about her cooking adventures.
www.meandmytoasteroven.com maybe?
I just got trough all your posts youhave a great blog,the food are just eye-candy! love the dog Ralph!
I would love to hang at the Grand Bazaar one day with you and your shopoholic friends dipping into some creamy Hünkar Beğendi…
Love the blog, love the recipes (am working up the gumption to test drive your brioche)… Keep it happening Fernando.
Sarah - Thank you!
daniesza - We’ll be more than happy. Thank you for your comment!
your aprticot brioche on tastespotting caught my eye! yum.
im a university student with limited money and limited time but a humongous apetite for cooking, its good to see that theres so many other enthusiasts too! im gonna go try to make the brioche now! thank you! cute dog btw
Thank you Lana. I hope you like it!
Love the blog, love the recipes and adore the dog! I just stumbled upon it and I ‘m so glad I did…you are doing a great job! Thanks for sharing.
Hello again! I made my first comment on your best ever chocolate cupcakes and here I am again to make another comment . . this time about your blog. One word to describe it . . . I love it! The recipes, the pictures and everything else about your blog. I will definitely visit your website soon and often. If you don’t mind, I’d like to have your blog site as one of my favorites. Take care, and keep up the nice work! Ciao . . .
Hi Cenk! I’m a food-blogger from the SF bay area, and it’s really nice to have discovered your blog. You do have a great site going on here, and I will surely be adding you to my read-list, and also to my Food BLogroll:)
Wishing you the best in everything!
-Mansi
http://funnfud.blogspot.com
Bu siteyi tesadufen gullac tarifi ararken buldum. Gozlerim yerinden cikti.. Gercekten cok guzel.. Tebrik ederim. Takip edecegim.
Hi Cenk,
I love your website SO much. I’m mesmerized by Turkey now and am actually planning a trip to Istanbul in late-January. I was wondering what the weather is like over there though at that time. Can you please advise? Keep up the great work! Thank you so much.
Hi Jamie - Thank you! Glad to hear that you’re coming to İstanbul. I hope you enjoy your stay and the great food. Late January will be cold. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see some snow…
hey there, i just discovered your blog by accident..im totally smitten..hard to believe that’s a “guy” behind this amazing food blog!! you seem like a real cordon bleu chef!!
Cenk
Thank you very much for this absolute treat of a blog. I just moved to Istanbul from Paris. I have lived all over the place (Madrid, New York, Paris, Lausanne) and now Istanbul. This is the best gastronomy blog I have ever read ;-). It’s wonderfully hedonistic (in a delightful, charming and generous manner). Thank You.
I came across it by chance delighting myself in Ciya in Kadakoy last Saturday
Was a real pleasure viewing not only the many fantastic creations but the responses from appreciative surfers. I am a retired NewYorker living permanently in a suburb of Istanbul. Being married to a great Turkish cook I am eagerly awaiting her experimentation from your great site. Perhaps she will share some of her secrets with you.
One question does anyone know where to get crème chantilly - schlagsahne -light whipping cream??
This is one of the best blogs I’ve seen so far! Beautiful pictures, interesting posts, delicious food! It’s rare to see men cook let alone write about their adventures on blogs:) Keep up the good work! Merhaba from Azerbaijan. Feride (aka Farida)
WOW! you are awesome! I thought you are a cook at first.
I love your blog. I am learning from your great recipes a lot. Thank you very much. And please keep up the good work.
This photo is so beautiful.
just found your site. it’s great. i’m also ex-sf from university days, we were probably there the same time in fact (was it so long ago?!) i still cruise craiglist rentals too, lol, maybe one day… thanks for the great recipes!
Hi Cenk,
I enjoy looking through your links especially when it is related to something in Turkey! Like Pukka - Lvng guide to Ist. Thank you!
Kindest Regards…
Aysegul
Hi Cenk!
Until last week my main association with Turkey was Orhan Pamuk, now it’s you :). I came across your blog last week and have practically learned it by heart by now
It’s awsome! Thank you for the recipes!
Margarita
Margarita - Thanks for the nicest comment. Glad to hear you enjoyed the posts!
Cenk,
I first came upon your blog after reading a article on Istanbul in the food/travel section of the NYT. Have been following your posts regularly since and have since decided it’s about time I left a comment
Needless to say, as a foodie, I enjoy the blog very, very much - though I don’t cook much at all! Just looking at the lovely photos is good enough. And of course, I adore the Istanbul posts though they fill me with a weird sense of complete yearning and homesickness for the city and its gorgeous food. So, thank you!
Szerelem - Thank you! Glad to hear you liked the posts. Come summer, there will be more İstanbul posts. Hope you enjoy them, too!
I loved reading your blog as of late. Great looking food and photos. I’m excited to move next month to a place with more than 2 feet of counter-space. I’ll be taking a crack at some of these recipes.
Great site, great photos, great recipes with a wonderful, cheerful, adventurous owner. Istanbul definitely in my list of visits and probably whole Turkey as well…
2 Thumbs up!!!
Is it possible for you to put up also video or clips of your field trips- say for example of the market?
I will try out your recipes and let you know the outcome.. LOL. Thank you for a wonderful blog!
Hugs!
You have a great blog! I cannot remember how I came upon it but I have permanently linked to you so I can always drop by whenever I want. Cheers!
What a wonderful blog, well done!!
I will visit on a regular basis and have signed up for the email alerts