He's the chef at the helm of the Southampton Turkish favourite named Best Middle Eastern Restaurant in the UK.

Memet Sarikaya, head chef at Ottoman Kitchen, talks best Baklava and Nutella waffles in our meet the chef column.

What inspired you to become a chef?

"In Turkey, most of the important family celebrations are focused around meal times. So there’s a great importance and respect associated with good food and being a chef in Turkish culture."

Daily Echo: On the menu at Ottoman Kitchen

What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?

"Cooking and marinating chicken barbecue dishes with my mother, so she'd be the first person I cooked for. With my family we learnt to make Baklava, marinade meat and create hummus. Then you learn about the fire and how to cook on charcoal and the temperature. This is how most Turkish chefs learn before going to cooking school to learn more knife skills."

What is your proudest career moment to date?

"When Ottoman Kitchen won Best Middle Eastern restaurant in the UK, it was a big achievement. The Turkish community understands how well this restaurant has done. Nobody expected it to be so successful so it’s a big story for us and Southampton. The Baklava in particular has been the thing we’ve been working on hard and is now one of, if not the best, in the UK.

Daily Echo: Baklava at Ottoman Kitchen

What is your signature dish?

"I would say the Baklava which we painstakingly make and our grilled meats such as Chicken Shish, Lamb Shish and Adana kebabs. These are all the dishes we’ve made since childhood and you can taste if a restaurant has Turkish chefs. For Baklava, it’s hard to get it crispy and soft. It takes years of practice on how much butter and pastry to add and in what order."

What is your culinary guilty pleasure?

"I have a sweet tooth. I enjoy a Nutella waffle at Scoops in Portswood particularly."

Daily Echo: Ottoman Kitchen has been shortlisted for the Best Middle Eastern Restaurant in the UK

Which chef do you most admire?

"Salt Bae is the most famous Turkish chef and has opened restaurants around the world. Many may not respect him as a Chef but his achievements can't be mocked."

What’s your career ambition?

"Hopefully we will open more Ottoman Kitchen restaurants, people from Bournemouth and Winchester are always asking if we’ll open in these areas. There’s a lot of demand for Turkish cooking."