Seraf Restaurant

"Sinem Özler sets great store by goods from local producers. You can taste and see this for yourself, because they are also for sale in the shop of this spacious, modern restaurant, just outside the city centre. For example, she works with Trakya Kivircik lamb in a bid to keep traditional recipes alive. The İçli Köfte with the same lamb is an absolute must. To bring those ancient Anatolian flavours to the table, this chef likes to use a wood-fired oven, and she never loses sight of the changing seasons and her surroundings." - Michelin Inspector

Diverse women, diverse styles: Female chefs of Istanbul

"Rooted in Anatolian cuisine, this Istanbul restaurant elevates traditional recipes through meticulous research and faithful recreation, marrying them with the high-quality service standards and ambiance that local flavors long lacked in the city. Rather than settling for the already familiar, the kitchen undertakes monthly fieldwork across Anatolia—meeting producers, joining harvests, and cooking with local women—then invites those cooks to Istanbul to teach Seraf’s crowded team, an exchange that overturns rigid hierarchies by giving authority to whoever knows a dish best. The result lets residents and visitors encounter tastes they might otherwise miss while keeping traditional culture and memory alive." - The MICHELIN Guide