It’s rare to find anything as simple as a lamb kebab on the menu at Turk, one of the most talked-about fine dining restaurants in Istanbul. But tonight chef (and owner) Fatih Tutak is making one just for me. As my guide to the city’s evolving food scene, he’s been keen to get past the stereotypes. “Turkish food is not just kebabs,” he tells me. Yet here he is, with a mezzaluna as big as a machete, chopping up lamb mince, mixing in herbs and pistachios and moulding meat onto skewers to grill over hot coals. Call it civic pride, but if I’m going to have a kebab during my stay in Istanbul he insists on making it himself. Dressed in onions, parsley and sweet chilli oil, his meaty creations are fine ambassadors for the dish.

