A Pioneering Icon

Nusret Gökçe was born in 1983 in a village of Erzurum, Turkey as the son of a mineworker and a housewife. The family migrated to Istanbul when he was three years old. Due to financial difficulties, Nusret Gökçe was forced to drop out of school when he was in sixth grade and, after working several different jobs, he was hired to work as an apprentice at a leading butcher shop.

With his eyes and ears on ten different meat masters all at the same time, he worked incessantly and stopped at nothing to learn his craft. During his years as an undermaster, he worked at all stages of operation and started to accumulate experience.

His skill was immediately noticed when he was allowed to touch the knife for the first time. By then, butchery had become his greatest passion. He worked every day around the clock from the age of 13 until he was enlisted to serve in the military. By the young age of 25, he was already in charge of an important branch of the meat and butchery company he was working for.

Intent on becoming the number 1 in his profession, Nusret Gökçe travelled to Argentina and the USA, the land of sophisticated meat culture. By amalgamating diverse meat cooking and serving styles with his know-how and creativity, he brought to perfection his butchering, cooking and presentation techniques.

Upon his return to Turkey in 2010, he opened Nusr-Et in Çamlık, Etiler in Istanbul with his former client Mithat Erdem and began turning his dreams into reality in this simple shop that kept the ultimate taste and flavor of meat at the forefront. He would serve the meat he meticulously cut only with salad and potatoes on the side and pay personal attention to every table. He soon achieved great success and was featured in countless newspapers and magazines. Celebrities began frequenting his restaurant and long queues were formed at the door

Gökçe’s amazing success led to a partnership with Doğuş Group, one of the leading conglomerates in Turkey.
Nusr-Et’s expansion and transformation into a global brand began once Nusr-Et joined the d.ream restaurant and entertainment management family in 2012. Gökçe opened his first restaurant abroad in Dubai in 2014. Soon afterwards, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Miami, New York, Dallas, Mykonos, Boston, Beverly Hills, London and Riyadh branches followed. As the brand evolved into a global household name, Nusret Gökçe’s recognition spread across the world.

A pure expression of his passion for and master of his profession, Nusret Gökçe’s “salt bae” move of sprinkling salt became an icon known by people of all ages across the globe.

A journey that began with merely 10 tables and 10 staff members continue today with a restaurant chain of 30 different venues and nearly 2.000 employees.

Anyone hoping to be part of the unparalleled Nusr-Et experience enjoys unforgettable moments of incomparable hospitality and delectable dishes of Nusret Gökçe. True aficionados of meat across the world not only taste the best state meat can attain, but also experience, with all their senses, how a dish is transformed into a feast.

Gökçe is not merely a worldwide restaurateur, but a businessman who preserves his entrepreneurial spirit. He is constantly working, researching, and chasing new projects to maintain his current success and carry it to a higher level. His passion for learning, his curiosity, and his dedication to perform his best are his ultimate sources of motivation. Gökçe still has countless dreams he hopes to achieve; as he says, “Nothing is impossible in life.”