Published on : Monday, March 25, 2019
Following the announcement, Gökce shared a photo of himself standing out the front of his new conquest. Gökce’s new company Nusret Turizm Yatırım takes over the hotel from Istanbul-based Dogus Holding, a Turkish company that currently owns a portfolio of hotels and restaurants including Zuma and Gökce’s Nusr-Et steakhouses — the restaurant chain in which Salt Bae struck viral meme fame.
Dogus are in the process of selling off and restructuring most of its properties to pay off as much as US$2.5 billion (approximately $3.5 billion) of debt.
The company has notoriously been struggling to pay its debts since last year following a collapse in the Turkish lira’s value, and has been rapidly selling off its hospitality holdings.
Istanbul’s Park Hyatt is no small victory for the chef, with 90 stunningly-appointed guest rooms, each equipped with their own Turkish bath. Located in the heart of the city, the historic hotel also features a luxury spa and upmarket Turkish-Mediterranean fusion restaurant.
Everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio to Rihanna have famously visited Sat Bae’s restaurant for a seasoning show from the meme man himself, who regularly posts images alongside A-list celebrities.
Prior to his hotel acquisition, Salt Bae has been expanding his restaurant empire with new venues in North America, Europe and the Middle East, with plans to launch more burger branches in New York and Dubai.
No word yet on whether Salt Bae’s hotel will get its own Nusr-Et steakhouse, or how the Sultan of Salt plans to run his new conquest, but we’ll be watching this space closely.
Tags: Istanbul, Nusret Gökce, Turkey