The vision of the Shah brothers is to transport diners to the heart of Turkey. (Supplied)
Most people are of the opinion that the best version of a cuisine can only be experienced from its place of origin. But that’s not always the case, say Aasim Shah and Adeeb Shah — brothers who took a leap into the culinary world to pursue their shared passion for authentic Turkish cuisine.
“Especially in India, we are fixated with a certain food being made by people from a particular place. Globally, it’s no longer the same. The world’s best baguette is made by a Sri Lankan in France. A highly sought-after and award-winning ramen is made by an Indian chef. Food is an art. If done well, anybody can create magic,” the duo tells South First.
The Chennai-based brothers with engineering and legal backgrounds shared a passion for food from their childhood.
From the inception of Kebapci in 2018, where they introduced Chennai to the genuine flavors of Turkish kebabs, to now Oz by Kebapci at UB City, Bengaluru, their vision has always been to transport diners to the heart of Turkey. For them, it’s not just about serving delectable dishes. But also about recreating the ambiance, presentation, and service that encapsulates the essence of Turkish culinary culture.
Today, they own renowned restaurant brands including Kebapci (2018), Ferrara (2019), Oz by Kebapci (2022), and Klava (2023).
“Growing up in GCC countries, both of us thoroughly enjoy the meat culture – especially the kebabs. So when we were planning to build a brand, we decided to dive deep,” Aasim recalls.
The kebab exploration took them back to the Ottoman empire, the Persian, then the Mughals and so on.
“The kebab culture and its effects go way back. As we started getting more deep into its history, we realized that it’s so much more than a simple dish, especially in Turkish cuisine. That really fascinated us. We felt that this is something that people in India should also be able to experience,” he shares.
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Oz by Kebapci at UB city is a space that screams opulence. From oriental rugs, decorative lamps, stained glass panels, marble table tops to the woodworks– every detail needed to transport you to Turkey has been ticked off.
The space was designed by famous Turkish architect Mert Duyal. (Supplied)
The fine-dining restaurant offers a wide array of authentic Turkish dishes curated with ingredients imported directly from Turkey.
“The space was designed by famous Turkish architect Mert Duyal. He is known best for designing the Sofitel Hotel in Istanbul,” they tell us.
Design elements and aesthetics of the place have been given utmost importance at Oz.
“Everything from the woodworks, tiles, carpet, furniture to the cutlery we use are from Turkey. To present the right feel, we felt that was important. We make sure the music played is also Turkish. All these finer details are to tie up the whole experience,” they add.
In order to set up a place that offers authentic experience and flavours, research is key. And the Shah brothers knew it right from the start.
A lot of home recipes have been included in Oz’s menu. (Supplied)
“In a year, we travel to Turkey at least five times,” Aasim tells us.
“Every time we explore different regions, we gather information. There are some beautiful cities and phenomenal food over there. We have picked up the things we learned over there, understood what’s what, and then brought it over to India,” he adds.
During their travels, they have come across lesser known small restaurants and people who have shared home recipes with them.
“Some of the people we met in Eastern Turkey have shared phenomenal recipes. From certain remote places such as Nizip, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Kalkan, we have learned some traditional Turkish dishes and its techniques.”
To bring dishes like the Testi Kebap (seasoned meat cooked in a clay pot), Cig Kofte (Kneaded bulgur, spices and olive oil served with lettuce leaves), Dolma (Grape vine/lettuce rolled with rice and herbs) and various soups, it required the team to get the right flavours and techniques, they add.
The duo has traveled, gone through several historical books, translated works to find recipes before designing the recipes. And yet, interesting challenge they came across was plating.
Not all Turkish food sits well with the Indian palate. (Supplied)
“Turkish cuisine is not as presentable as French cuisine. It’s not as elegant. So to present it well is an interesting challenge,” they share.
Another test was to curate the vegetarian dishes and to figure out what would worked for Indian palate.
“We have curated the dishes based on the ingredients that we import. There are some dishes that are tricky for the Indian palette. For example, the Çiğ köfte is a very popular dish there. It’s basically like a version of beef tartare. There is a vegetarian version as well. If you ask any Turkish chef, this is the first thing they would want to add to their menu. But when we made people try it here, it was a hard no. There are many dishes like these that we have put on the menu and eventually took off as it didn’t sit well with the people here.”
While a lot of effort has gone into the curation and presentation, what they team insist on is the quality.
“From day one, we were clear that we won’t compromise on the quality of food. That’s why all ingredients are imported from Turkey including all the spices and meat.”
Ensuring quality is the utmost priority at Oz. (Supplied)
It’s not as easy as it sounds.
“The Government has a lot of restrictions on imports and rightfully so. It’s because we have so much produce in our own country. But if you take chili for example, it comes in many varieties. Each region has its own kind. For our food, we need the right chilies, the right peppers, and the right leaves,” Aasim points out.
It’s not that they didn’t try experimenting with Indian ingredients.
He shares, “We did try using the vine leaves from the vineyard near Nandi hills to prepare Dolma. But the end result was far from what it should have been. So we have to import ingredients to maintain the authenticity.”
How would it be if you made sambar with paprika? he asks. “It won’t be right. No matter how modern you go, you have to hit the right notes to get the right feel of the dish. You can just go off note and say this is a new approach.”
As for future plans, the duo plans to open the next outlet in Hyderabad and then in the UAE.
“After doing some pop-ups in the UAE and looking at the feedback, we are confident that we have got the stuff that we can present in a market as fierce as Dubai,” Aasim notes.
As the business grows, one thing they want to stress on is the significanceof the right team. “You need the right people with you, ones who stick around for a long time. Maintaining the consistency of the food is one thing. But to ensure that, you need to have the right people,” they share, making their success mantra crystal clear.
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