Maksut Askar is the owner and chef of a restaurant in Istanbul called Neolokal, where he serves Anatolian dishes. What’s unique about his concept is the fact that he creates artistic dishes rather than the usual ones. Because he wants to stay up to date with the world around him and because of the fact that he wants his work to remain unique, Askar decided to create NFT GIFs of his dishes, allowing fanatics to cook along whether online or offline!

Askar says, and we quote his words, “My dream was about ‘what I can give back to my culinary heritage in Anatolia’, and I was dreaming about trying to sustain what I remember from the past but with a very stylish and artistic vision.” Moreover, Askar grew up in Antakya, Turkey. He shares part of his background by saying, “We had this super rich culture of eating habits that gave me a great advantage to be born there. My inspiration within my journey would be my mother and all the mothers that I have known and whose food I’ve had the chance to eat.”

Who isn’t passionate about food?

As a chef, Askar definitely had a certain passion for food. But, that’s not it. Throughout his journey, he also managed to develop a love for art. That is how he was able to create a juxtaposition between design and gastronomy. He started off designing food menus and drinks for restaurants and hotels, before moving forward in opening his own restaurant, reaching the top one, Neolokal.

So, what does he do?

Of course, other than the fact that his dishes are delicious, Askar manages to reflect art in his dishes by including vibrant colors and abstract patterns. One of his dishes is the Hummus and Anatolian Landscape. It combines geography and the colorful nature through egg quails and hummus. He also reflects the importance of fish to his culture by including “steamed black seabass and mussel with olive oil emulsion”! Because of this, he received a recognition from the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2021.

When it comes to NFTs, Askar says and we quote, “We need to find ways to have traditions meet today's needs so that it can be accepted in the future. The only way we can do it is through our plates. And through us trying to make our guests enjoy those plates. Time should not be a barrier for you to explore things. When you are in the kitchen as an artist, you feed your need to create, which helps you see every dish that you create within your restaurant as an artistic piece.” Imagine the possibilities that NFTs is opening for people on a worldwide basis.