Growing up without a father, it was always hard for me to stay rooted in one place. I spent much of the first part of my career between Istanbul, New York and traveling around the world and even when I moved back to Istanbul my mind was often elsewhere. That changed with the birth of my son. It gave me the chance to look at my life in Turkey from another point of view.

All these memories that I had somehow suppressed for so many years came rushing back into my mind. I started to think of my youth. Of playing futbol in the streets. The grapes and melons my great grandmother would pick in her garden in Pamukova, as well as the dark sourdough bread she made that would last for weeks. I thought of all the flavors I had forgotten, like my grandfather’s Ciborek that we ate every Sunday, and the mussels we gathered out of the sea in Dragos and cooked on an open fire. Now, I cannot think of anything ever tasting so delicious. It wasn’t because of some elaborate modern technique or because it came from some distant European kitchen, but their simplicity, their purity spoke for themselves. The entire world was in front of me and there was an undeniable feeling of hope. This is the world I want my son to grow up in and I want us all to be able to experience it.

IST is my tribute to Turkey. To our farmers and fishermen. To the vendors selling lakerda on Taksim Square and the hunters seeking out wild quail and duck the countryside in Sakarya. To our majestic landscapes, like the peach orchards of Bursa and the pine forests of Belgrad. Guided entirely by Turkish wines, Raki and other national spirits, we will take you on a journey through Turkey’s heritage ingredients and recipes, presented in our own way, embracing our common histories while reaching toward an optimistic future. Rather than exclusivity and opulence, we want you to feel warmth and comfort.

Welcome to Ist.

– İsmet Saz​