CZN Burak, real name Burak Özdemir, is a Turkish chef, restaurateur and social media phenomenon. He is known for his restaurant chain Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası, based on Hatay cuisine, and his short videos of himself preparing food while smiling at the camera.
He was born on March 24, 1994. His family is from Yoncakaya village in Hatay's Yayladağı district. He continued his education at Anadolu University Open Education Faculty. The "CZN" in her stage name comes from her father's textile company called Cinzano in Laleli, Istanbul: after foreign customers pronounced this name as "Cezene", she adopted the abbreviation as her nickname and said that it reminded her of where she came from.
Restaurateurs and internet fame
His first contact with the kitchen started when he ran his grandfather's small family restaurant in Hatay. Later, he opened a branch in Istanbul and expanded the business under the name Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası. Over time, the chain opened branches in different districts of Istanbul as well as abroad, such as Dubai.
His real fame came from the cooking videos he shared on social media. His constant smiling and keeping his eyes on the camera while preparing recipes from Arabic and Anatolian cuisine quickly made his videos internationally known; He began to be nicknamed "Smiley bae" among foreign viewers. Its large follower base on Instagram and YouTube has contributed to its restaurants becoming known as a brand.
Özdemir is one of the prominent names among Turkish chefs who left his family restaurant and gained international recognition through social media.
