Held over a 2nd Night!
For more than 600 years, the vast Ottoman empire represented one of the most sophisticated aristocratic cultures in the world. It profoundly influenced – and was influenced by – diverse culinary traditions spanning from Central Asia to North Africa, the Balkans to past the Arabian peninsula into Eastern Africa. The heart of Ottoman culture was in Istanbul, the capital, where the imperial court and the metropolitan elites established a refined culinary tradition bringing together elements of regional cuisines from across the empire. It was here, in the kitchens of the Imperial palace, that Ottoman cuisine reached its most refined form.
Some dishes uniquely reflect this legacy; for example, tonight’s main course, Hünkar Beğendi, translates as “the Sultan liked it”, referring to Sultan Murad IV (1612-1640). There is also a legend that this dish was served to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, in Sultan Abdülaziz’s Beylerbeyi Palace in 1869, and she liked it so much that Abdülaziz promised her to ask his chef to give Eugenie’s cook the recipe. And the rumor goes that Abdülaziz’s chef was reluctant to share his recipe.
With this lavish meal, Chef Murat Ozsuvari, together with business partner Tolga Ay of M&T Food Services, showcase some of the remarkable cuisine that developed at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.
This special event will also feature live instrumental Turkish music by the talented multi-instrumentalist, Selcuk Suna
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Tarator Soslu Karnabahar Kizartmasi
Golden fried cauliflower with tahini
Orange Hum’s
Turkish-style chickpea hummus with orange
Fistikli Dovme Salatasi
Pistachio, cucumber and yogurt salad
Koz Salad
A classic Turkish meze of roasted red peppers, eggplants and tomatoes
Hünkar Beğendi
Slow-cooked veal stew served on a bed of creamy roasted eggplant puree
Saffron and Almond Pilaf
Delicate rice
Sekerpare
Soft coconut-based baked pastry of dipped in thick lemon-flavored sugar syrup
Pestil
Dried fruit rolls filled with sesame or nut butter
Ottoman Tea
A fragrant hot tea with mixed fruits and spices
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$60 + HST
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Chef Murat Ozsuvari studied cooking in Vancouver and has worked in restaurants around the world, including the Ritz Hotel in Miami, and the renowned Ara Café in Istanbul. Together with Tolga Ay, they have recently co-founded a new catering company Toronto, M&T Food Services, offering a broad range of Turkish-inspired and international foods for home delivery or events.
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Every weekend The Depanneur invites a guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party.