Whoever thought a video of a guy slicing up a steak would strike such a chord? (PS Vegans, look away now).
The UK has Nigella, the US has Anthony Bourdain, and the UAE? Well, we have Nusret Gökçe.
The Turkish chef, who’s behind Nusr-Et in Jumeirah’s Four Seasons Hotel, has found himself the current star of the internet thanks to his hypnotising Instagram feed.
A video of the restaurant owner sensually slicing up a steak outside his Dubai eatery has gone well and truly viral, receiving 3.3 million views in just a matter of days – along with news articles across the world dedicated to the short clip.
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So why all the fuss? Well, you can’t deny that he sprinkles salt with a lot more sass than your average chef.
Hence the origins behind the nickname just given to him by his legion of fans – Salt Bae.
Gökçe, who splits his time between Dubai and Istanbul, is the brains behind the popular steakhouse chain Nusr-Et, which also has branches in Turkey.
The snazzy pony-tailed chef also just opened up a burger joint – dubbed Nusr-Et Burger – in Dubai’s Riverland.
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A video posted by nusr_et (@nusr_et) on
Gökçe – who seems to love wearing sunnies in the kitchen even while handling the sharpest of knives (that’s how much of a pro he is) – has now become the subject of hundreds of memes and Tweets spreading across the Worldwide Web.
@Apple make this a thing #saltbae pic.twitter.com/q7RN23YodQ
— Michael (@Schwartz341) January 9, 2017
when your life’s a mess already filled with anxiety and depression yet you sprinkle some procastination for decor pic.twitter.com/Y7AIMGCrkQ
— #SaltBae Memes (@SaltBaeMemes) January 10, 2017
These vegan girls must be feeling proper left out after all this salt babe stuff ….so #saltbae pic.twitter.com/FJGlkA8bvX
— AAAAAHHHA (@7_concept1) January 9, 2017
This is the most accurate comparison I have seen yet 😂 #saltbae pic.twitter.com/Tam0ObGNod
— Court. (@CeeisMee) January 8, 2017
Trust us when we say these are just the tip of the iceberg.
Even Bruno Mars shared an image of the chef this week:
Annndddd I’m out pic.twitter.com/jFS8aFaqN4
— Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars) January 8, 2017
Salt Bae is also just as stylish outside of the kitchen, with a penchant for embroidered scarves, Johnny-Depp-esque stubble, and white suits.
A photo posted by nusr_et (@nusr_et) on
But the social media star hasn’t always been so successful – he told Turkish news site Aksam back in 2013 that had to drop out of school due to financial difficulties.
He later honed his trade as a butcher’s apprentice (with a stint in Argentina) before opening his first restaurant.
Well, it might have been a long, hard slog to the top, but he’s definitely getting the appreciation he deserves right now.
It might be months away, but we’re already plotting our Halloween 2017 #SaltBae costumes…
Image: Nusret Gökçe/Instagram
