I Love Turkish Food, But I've Never Cooked It Properly

As I prepare to embark on my first day as a server at the Forefront of service at Kazan, one of London's finest Turkish restaurants, I must admit that I'm both excited and intimidated. The restaurant is incredibly busy with 90 booked tables, and I know that anything less than perfect could be disastrous. Head chef Hassan, known for his exacting standards and fiery temper, has set the bar high, but I'm determined to rise to the challenge.

As I take my place on the floor, I'm greeted by the sounds of sizzling food and the hum of conversation from the waiting customers. The kitchen, run by Chef Hassan, is a whirlwind of activity, with pots clanging and pans scorching. I'm about to learn three classic Turkish dishes, dolma, baklava, and Bava, but I know that it won't be easy. The chefs here are experts in their craft, and it'll take more than just practice to master these techniques.

My first task is to make dolma, a dish of vine leaves stuffed with herb rice. After being shown the intricate technique, it's my turn to give it a try. I'm instructed on how to roll the leaves tightly, but I quickly realize that this is no easy feat. It takes me a full 2 minutes to make just one dolma, whereas the chefs here can do it in 10 seconds. Despite my struggles, I'm determined to persevere and learn from my mistakes.

Next up is baklava, a pastry filled with cheese, spinach, and feta. But this time, Chef Hassan has me struggling even more. He tells me that I've put too much filling inside the dough, and it's impossible to fix on my own. "No one can pick these skills up immediately," he says. The chefs here have spent years perfecting their techniques, but only a few minutes of practice. It's clear that this is not a skill that can be learned overnight.

Just when I think things can't get any tougher, Chef Hassan saves the hardest dish for last: traditional dessert Bava. This man is a specialist in Bava, and he does nothing but make it all day. As I watch him roll out the pastry with precision and ease, I'm reminded of my own struggles with this very task. Pastry has never been my strong point, and rolling it thin takes years to master.

With service looming, Chef Hassan doesn't have time for me to make mistakes. "Can you leave the gentleman and make his better?" he asks, as if I were a novice chef who couldn't possibly get anything right. As I take on this new task, I realize that I need to step up my game quickly. After all, there's no room for error in the kitchen.

With the help of Chef Hassan, I manage to complete the final dish: Bava. It's a sweet, flaky pastry filled with syrup and nuts, and it looks almost too good to eat. As we slide it into the oven, I feel a sense of pride knowing that I've created something truly delicious. And as I take my first bite, I know that this is just the beginning of my culinary journey.

As the service begins, I'm ready to face whatever challenges come my way. With every dish that goes out, I learn and grow, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Chef Hassan and the rest of the team at Kazan.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enI love Turkish food but I've never ever had the chance to cook it properly so there's a first time for everything and tonight I'm going back to the floor inside this Turkish restaurant to be a SF at the Forefront of service so I can't afford any cock-ups Kazan is one of London's finest Turkish restaurants with an incredibly busy dinner service at the moment we've got about 90 booked in I think it's going to be really busy really tough the busy kitchen is run by headchef Hassan he has exacting standards and a fiery temper got sounds familiar apparently Hassan's a man not easily impressed who is it the Gordon it's put in Fire with Fire really so it could either be a big explosion in there or or they'll get on great hello Hi how are you all right thank you Hassan yes head chef yes Ander is the boss yes EXC all the starters and desserts are being prepared in advance of service I'm going to learn three Classics okay now started making dolma dolma dolma yeah they're Vine leaves yes Vine leaves and they're stuffed with herb rice after quickly being shown the intricate technique it's my turn very very difficult going to roll them nice and tight they're going to be steamed after but it takes me 2 minutes to make one DOA the chefs here can make one in 10 seconds they're lovely quite sweet I'd love to stay in practice but Chef Hassan has different ideas okay now started making break so inside the F of paste we've got cheese danish cheese feta cheese baby spinach right it's put too much inside but this can't makeing correctly no one can pick these skills up immediately the chefs here take years to perfect their techniques but only have a couple of minutes last one is okay me you're a tough cookie to please huh right Hassan has saved the hardest for last the traditional dessert Bava this man is a Bava specialist yes and that's all he does Bava all day only Bava wow now pastry has never been my strong point and rolling it this fine takes years to perfect no pressure no pressure yeah just roll yeah you put a little bit of corn flour as well please yeah with service looming Hassan hasn't the time for me to make mistakes can you leave the gentleman is make his better yeah can you start thise quickly blimy he's got less patience than me after rolling the sheets as thinly as possible they're cut and lay it into a baking tin look at that it's transparent you can almost see through it clarified butter is added it goes in the oven and will be sweetened with syrup and nuts when cooked delicious end of round one next up serviceI love Turkish food but I've never ever had the chance to cook it properly so there's a first time for everything and tonight I'm going back to the floor inside this Turkish restaurant to be a SF at the Forefront of service so I can't afford any cock-ups Kazan is one of London's finest Turkish restaurants with an incredibly busy dinner service at the moment we've got about 90 booked in I think it's going to be really busy really tough the busy kitchen is run by headchef Hassan he has exacting standards and a fiery temper got sounds familiar apparently Hassan's a man not easily impressed who is it the Gordon it's put in Fire with Fire really so it could either be a big explosion in there or or they'll get on great hello Hi how are you all right thank you Hassan yes head chef yes Ander is the boss yes EXC all the starters and desserts are being prepared in advance of service I'm going to learn three Classics okay now started making dolma dolma dolma yeah they're Vine leaves yes Vine leaves and they're stuffed with herb rice after quickly being shown the intricate technique it's my turn very very difficult going to roll them nice and tight they're going to be steamed after but it takes me 2 minutes to make one DOA the chefs here can make one in 10 seconds they're lovely quite sweet I'd love to stay in practice but Chef Hassan has different ideas okay now started making break so inside the F of paste we've got cheese danish cheese feta cheese baby spinach right it's put too much inside but this can't makeing correctly no one can pick these skills up immediately the chefs here take years to perfect their techniques but only have a couple of minutes last one is okay me you're a tough cookie to please huh right Hassan has saved the hardest for last the traditional dessert Bava this man is a Bava specialist yes and that's all he does Bava all day only Bava wow now pastry has never been my strong point and rolling it this fine takes years to perfect no pressure no pressure yeah just roll yeah you put a little bit of corn flour as well please yeah with service looming Hassan hasn't the time for me to make mistakes can you leave the gentleman is make his better yeah can you start thise quickly blimy he's got less patience than me after rolling the sheets as thinly as possible they're cut and lay it into a baking tin look at that it's transparent you can almost see through it clarified butter is added it goes in the oven and will be sweetened with syrup and nuts when cooked delicious end of round one next up service\n"