Ebru Demir Explained

Birth Name:Ebru Baybara
Birth Place:Mardin, Turkey
Education:Marmara University
Restaurants:
  • Cercis Murat Konağı
  • Zamarot 1890
Awards:

Ebru Demir (née: Baybara; born 1976) is a Turkish social entrepreneur and chef. She has involved in many projects targeting women and biodiversity.

Biography

She was born in Mardin in 1976 and was raised in Istanbul.[1] She graduated from Marmara University receiving a degree in tourism in 1999. Following her graduation she settled in Mardin where she worked as a tourist guide. In 2001 she opened a touristic restaurant, Cercis Murat Mansion (Turkish:Cercis Murat Konağı), in Mardin together with 21 women.[1] She also established another restaurant in Mardin named Zamarot 1890. She has focused on the characteristics of the Anatolian cuisine.

Demir is married and has three children.[2]

Projects and activities

Demir has involved in social projects targeting the employment of women and biodiversity.[2] She is the founder of the Soil to Plate Agricultural Development Cooperative and initiated an agriculture project, Biodegradable Waste Management Project from Soil to Soil. Under the former activity Mesopotamia's oldest wheat called Sorgul wheat was reproduced. HBO Max produced a documentary, 12 Zero-Waste Chefs of the World, about Demir.[3] She represented Turkey in the World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism organized by the United Nations's World Tourism Organization.[4]

Through her projects, such as Kitchen of Hope and her Harran Gastronomy School, Demir has helped the Syrian refugees as well as local women, teaching them skills such as baking, gardening, farming and mushroom cultivation.[5] Her projects also include literacy programs for them.[6]

Following the earthquake which hit southern and central Turkey on 6 February 2023, Demir started a soup kitchen in Hatay which is still open.[7]

Awards

Demir is the recipient of various awards, including the Basque Culinary World Prize (2023) and the Aenne Burda Creative Leadership Award (2023).[8] [3] [9]

Notes and References

  1. News: The Aenne Burda Award goes to Ebru Baybara Demir. 8 June 2023. Hubert Burda Media. 14 January 2023. Katharina Richter.
  2. News: Şef Ebru Baybara Demir Kimdir?. 8 June 2023. tr . Lezzet.
  3. Web site: Keynote Speaker. Ebru Baybara Demir. Speaker Agency. 8 June 2023.
  4. News: Ebru Baybara Demir kimdir?. 8 June 2023. NTV. 27 December 2022. tr.
  5. News: Turkish Chef Creates Humanitarian Aid Through Social Gastronomy. 8 June 2023. Food Tank. 12 May 2021. Michael Karsh.
  6. News: Patrick Keddie. ‘We Have to Help These People’. 8 June 2023. Eater. 25 January 2021.
  7. News: Turkiye woman chef brings 'gastronomy's Nobel' to Turkiye. 8 June 2023. Middle East Monitor. 8 June 2023.
  8. News: Buse Keskin. Ebru Baybara Demir 1st Turkish female chef to win Nobel of gastronomy. 8 June 2023. Istanbul. 8 June 2023. Daily Sabah.
  9. Web site: Ebru Baybara Demir. 8 June 2023. Basque Culinary World Prize.