Venue for high-powered meals: Cikare
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Sevda Yüzbaşıoğlu - Referans
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 03, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Just one table, no waiters and no one to eavesdrop ... The entrance to this venue resembles a textile workshop. The venue is in Küçükarmutlu, considered a stronghold for leftists, just a bridge away from Istanbul’s posh area of Etiler. When one enters, the atmosphere is not as expected.
A wooden table for 14, old fashioned cabinets left and right, dim lighting, some light music and a kitchen right behind the table greets one ... this is Cikare, run by Gamze Aktan and Güniz Dalver.
One can’t find it in oneself to call the place a restaurant because there are no waiters or any other tables in this place; there is no service as one knows it. Aktan and Dalver are everything in the place: the owners, the waiters, the cooks...
The two partners opened the restaurant with the motto, "If you give people something different and what they want, it does not need be in Nişantaşı." The place drew considerable attention from the art and business scenes. It has reached a whole new level today, and become the trusted venue of the business world.
Cikare was established last year with $100,000 in capital and today it is the backdrop for dog-eat-dog credit deals and secret signings of delicate contracts away from prying eyes. Of course, although Aktan and Dalver bear witness to every secret of the business world, their lips are sealed. "Maybe I will write a book when I am 80 and tell all these secrets," said Dalver, explaining that whatever happens in this cozy place stays here.
'We would not be this successful in Etiler'
Aktan is a former banker. As she was interested in recipes and cooking even when she was in banking, she took cooking courses in the United States and England to become a pastry cook creating distinct tastes. Dalver is a former computer engineer. The duo closed down the cafe they had opened some years ago to pursue their dreams through a different business. The name of their restaurant Cikare is a combination of the English alphabet "G" and "Kare," which means square root in Turkish. Aktan says the idea of Cikare originated from changes in the trends of dining. "We perceived weariness in people toward the ordinary. They still wish to dine out but they are tired of visiting classic restaurants. They do not seek a change in taste, just some form of difference," Aktan said, adding that they personally handled every detail from the accessories to the menu while they were opening Cikare. About choosing Küçük Armutlu as the location, she said: "We probably would not draw this much attention in Etiler. Here is not the most special place in the world but the key to its success is being an establishment with a soul and plenty of difference."
What lies behind serving special customers through special prices in a side street restaurant in Küçükarmutlu are two things: hard work and experience. Aktan says it is the dream of many people who are bored with their job to open a cafe or a restaurant but it is not a right decision every time.
"Since the delicacies and the difficulties of this profession are unknown, 90 percent of the establishments close down in a year or two. It was not a surprise for us since we know that. This is how this business is. You have to be designing menus, trying new desserts in your sleep to be successful," she said. Expansion is not among the current plans for Cikare because the partners do not want to disturb the atmosphere. Aktan says they are receiving many requests for franchising. "It is rather attention grabbing that two ladies are cooking and serving. Many customers enter (the kitchen), forget about the meal and chat with us."
Aktan says they do not plan to hire anyone. "We receive at least two or three calls every day. Lots of people call to work for free. However, since we were together in this job with Güniz from the beginning, our hands function together as one. We have a perfect harmony since we know each other very well. We would not disrupt this magic by hiring anyone. If a third one comes around, that would disrupt the line. All of our efforts are for not spoiling the atmosphere here."
'If I practiced what I learned in the
United States, we would be broke'
The two entrepreneurs say they consciously detected the demand for difference but they did not expect this much attention. Both agree on why the restaurant is a success. If you do the right job at the right place, people appreciate it, they say.
Aktan says their respect for privacy and quality food are the reasons behind many names from high society preferring a side street in Küçükarmutlu. "They think, ’There is no other table, there are no waiters, nobody to watch us or listen to us,’ and come here to dine on quality food. We cannot help but hear what is being talked about, but it stays here."
The reason the business world prefers this place is due to the place being unknown. "A major businessman may hold a meeting for credit with a bank here. The other day, the same businessman may meet a representative from another bank here again. He chooses this place to be away from prying eyes." The restaurant serves with a reservation-only policy. Aktan explains that she benefits from her training abroad while creating the menu but Turkish taste is the deciding factor: "If I would practice what I learned there, we would be broke. It is important to know Turkish people and know about their taste."
Cikare is not just a restaurant. They offer catering, pastry and restaurant consultancy services. Aktan said, "Just as we are serving 14 people here, the same quality must be preserved in catering. We are trying to run a boutique business. We normally do not accept jobs to serve over 250 people. " Prices range from TL 70 to TL 90.
One can’t find it in oneself to call the place a restaurant because there are no waiters or any other tables in this place; there is no service as one knows it. Aktan and Dalver are everything in the place: the owners, the waiters, the cooks...
The two partners opened the restaurant with the motto, "If you give people something different and what they want, it does not need be in Nişantaşı." The place drew considerable attention from the art and business scenes. It has reached a whole new level today, and become the trusted venue of the business world.
Cikare was established last year with $100,000 in capital and today it is the backdrop for dog-eat-dog credit deals and secret signings of delicate contracts away from prying eyes. Of course, although Aktan and Dalver bear witness to every secret of the business world, their lips are sealed. "Maybe I will write a book when I am 80 and tell all these secrets," said Dalver, explaining that whatever happens in this cozy place stays here.
'We would not be this successful in Etiler'
Aktan is a former banker. As she was interested in recipes and cooking even when she was in banking, she took cooking courses in the United States and England to become a pastry cook creating distinct tastes. Dalver is a former computer engineer. The duo closed down the cafe they had opened some years ago to pursue their dreams through a different business. The name of their restaurant Cikare is a combination of the English alphabet "G" and "Kare," which means square root in Turkish. Aktan says the idea of Cikare originated from changes in the trends of dining. "We perceived weariness in people toward the ordinary. They still wish to dine out but they are tired of visiting classic restaurants. They do not seek a change in taste, just some form of difference," Aktan said, adding that they personally handled every detail from the accessories to the menu while they were opening Cikare. About choosing Küçük Armutlu as the location, she said: "We probably would not draw this much attention in Etiler. Here is not the most special place in the world but the key to its success is being an establishment with a soul and plenty of difference."
What lies behind serving special customers through special prices in a side street restaurant in Küçükarmutlu are two things: hard work and experience. Aktan says it is the dream of many people who are bored with their job to open a cafe or a restaurant but it is not a right decision every time.
"Since the delicacies and the difficulties of this profession are unknown, 90 percent of the establishments close down in a year or two. It was not a surprise for us since we know that. This is how this business is. You have to be designing menus, trying new desserts in your sleep to be successful," she said. Expansion is not among the current plans for Cikare because the partners do not want to disturb the atmosphere. Aktan says they are receiving many requests for franchising. "It is rather attention grabbing that two ladies are cooking and serving. Many customers enter (the kitchen), forget about the meal and chat with us."
Aktan says they do not plan to hire anyone. "We receive at least two or three calls every day. Lots of people call to work for free. However, since we were together in this job with Güniz from the beginning, our hands function together as one. We have a perfect harmony since we know each other very well. We would not disrupt this magic by hiring anyone. If a third one comes around, that would disrupt the line. All of our efforts are for not spoiling the atmosphere here."
'If I practiced what I learned in the
United States, we would be broke'
The two entrepreneurs say they consciously detected the demand for difference but they did not expect this much attention. Both agree on why the restaurant is a success. If you do the right job at the right place, people appreciate it, they say.
Aktan says their respect for privacy and quality food are the reasons behind many names from high society preferring a side street in Küçükarmutlu. "They think, ’There is no other table, there are no waiters, nobody to watch us or listen to us,’ and come here to dine on quality food. We cannot help but hear what is being talked about, but it stays here."
The reason the business world prefers this place is due to the place being unknown. "A major businessman may hold a meeting for credit with a bank here. The other day, the same businessman may meet a representative from another bank here again. He chooses this place to be away from prying eyes." The restaurant serves with a reservation-only policy. Aktan explains that she benefits from her training abroad while creating the menu but Turkish taste is the deciding factor: "If I would practice what I learned there, we would be broke. It is important to know Turkish people and know about their taste."
Cikare is not just a restaurant. They offer catering, pastry and restaurant consultancy services. Aktan said, "Just as we are serving 14 people here, the same quality must be preserved in catering. We are trying to run a boutique business. We normally do not accept jobs to serve over 250 people. " Prices range from TL 70 to TL 90.