Chef and restaurateur Somer Sivrioğlu has always cooked between cultures, and right now, he’s doing it louder than ever. From opening Hamsi Taverna at the iconic Sydney Fish Market to judging 200 episodes a year on MasterChef Turkey, Somer is redefining what modern Turkish cuisine looks like across continents.

In this episode, we unpack:

The vision behind Hamsi and bringing Aegean seafood culture to Sydney
Why charcoal and line-caught mackerel matter
How he helped shift Australia’s perception of Turkish food beyond kebabs
The vegetable-forward traditions of the northern Aegean
Why meat in Turkish homes is often used as flavouring, not a centrepiece
The evolution of Turkish restaurants in Australia
The pressure and privilege of shaping a nation’s food conversation on television in Turkey
What it really takes to run restaurants between Istanbul and Sydney

When Somer opened Efendy in 2007, diners questioned whether Turkish cuisine belonged in a refined dining room.

Today, through venues like Anason (meze bar at Barangaroo), Maydanoz (vegetable-driven Turkish cuisine), Hamsi (seafood-focused Mediterranean concept) and Efendy in Istanbul, he’s helped reshape the narrative. This is a conversation about identity, technique, tradition, and evolution and chefs who build bridges (not just menus).

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This episode is proudly brought to you by UNOX Australia, leaders in smart oven innovation for commercial and residential kitchens. Learn more at www.unox.com

Follow & Connect with Somer Sivrioğlu

Somer Sivrioğlu https://www.linkedin.com/in/somer-sivrioglu-53a13422/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamsitaverna
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somersivrioglu

Connect with your hosts:

Tawnya Bahr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr
Lucy Allon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon

Follow Straight To The Source: @straight_to_the_source

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Somer Sivrioğlu: Redefining Turkish Cuisine — From Sydney's Fish Market to MasterChef Turkey