The delicious story of doner kebab; A bite that broke the boundaries

Doner Kebab is one of the most popular symbols of Turkish cuisine, and its long journey and creative evolution has an interesting story. This famous dish, whose name is derived from the Turkish word “Danmak” which means spinning, has traveled an adventurous path since the Ottoman Empire until today. From the early horizontal skewers for family picnics in northeastern Turkey to the innovative 19th century vertical skewers used in Istanbul, the doner kebab has always evolved along with social and cultural changes in society.

In the 20th century, the doner kebab made its way to Europe and found a special place as a popular street food in Germany. “Kadir Norman”, one of the Turkish immigrants in 1972, introduced a new type of this food to Berlin with the idea of ​​putting doner meat in bread, which quickly became famous all over the world; However, this is not the whole story; Because doner kebab has undergone many changes along this path. From using natural ingredients and fresh cuts of meat from local restaurants to industrial versions full of additives, each one offers a different taste.

Today, doner kebab has gained many fans all over the world not only as a popular meat dish, but also in the form of vegetarian versions. This unique combination of tradition and innovation is the reason for the global popularity of doner kebab. Food that has always been associated with taste, originality and creativity.

What you will read about the story of doner kebab in this article:

What is doner kebab?

The word “doner” is derived from the Turkish word “dönmek” which means “turning”. To prepare this dish, several layers of seasoned meat are placed vertically on skewers and cooked using a standing grill. When the outer layers of the meat are roasted and crispy, they are cut into thin slices and served.

In the past, lamb was the most common choice for doner kebab; But now, beef and chicken are also very popular. There are countless types of doner kebab; But usually meat is served with garlic and pepper sauces, together with salad. All this combination is placed inside pita or lavash bread (Turkish flat bread).

_{Photo source: nationalgeographic.com; Photographer: Unknown}

Türkiye or Germany; What is the origin of doner kebab?

Doner Kebab, a dish that experienced the rise and fall of an empire, has a rich history and controversial origins. In fact, no other Turkish kebab has achieved the international fame of the Doner Kebab. This dish has become so popular in its second home, Germany, that it has surpassed “currywurst” in a survey and has become the national favorite fast food. Some even claim that the doner kebab is a German invention.

Türkiye’s request to register doner kebab was followed by intense discussions. Germany, where the doner kebab is very popular, officially opposed the request. The Minister of Food and Agriculture of Germany, who is of Turkish origin, wrote in a tweet that Donner belongs to Germany. However, in early 2024, Türkiye submitted an official request to the European Union to register “Doner kebab” as a “guaranteed traditional specialty”. This title is awarded to products that are prepared using only specific methods and raw materials.

_{Photo source: nationalgeographic.com; Photographer: Datsenko Georgiy}

From picnic to the streets of Istanbul; The story of doner kebab

Mary Işın, a food historian and expert on Turkish and Ottoman cooking, points out that the term “döner kebap” (Turkish: döner kebap) was not recorded in writing until 1908. However, the history of this popular dish dates back to the Ottoman Empire. He writes in his book “Bountiful Empire”:

The first images of Doner can be found in two miniature paintings by an Istanbul artist between 1616 and 1620.

_{Photo source: downtownbrooklyn.com; Photographer: Unknown}

At first, doner was prepared as an outdoor picnic food; Something that is still prevalent in the northeastern provinces of Türkiye. In the initial version, the kebab skewer was placed horizontally; But in the 19th century, Istanbul restaurants replaced the vertical skewer method to save space.

Also, this method caused the meat to remain greasy and moist by itself. Additionally, cooking the meat in layers rather than cooking the whole animal allowed for a more even distribution of fat and more tender parts of the meat.

As Donner evolved, various people claimed to be its creator. In the middle of the 19th century in Turkey, Hamdi Usta from Kastamonu and İskender Efendi from Bursa both claimed to have developed the vertical cooking method. They invented and in fact created the juicy and easy-to-slice doner meat tower that we know today.

_{Photo source: independent; Name of the photographer: unknown}

Interestingly, a photo of the Ottoman Empire between 1853 and 1855 by British photographer James Robertson is known as the first image of doner kebab. The seller in the picture is also unknown, in other words, neither “Effendi” nor “Avesta”.

However, the memory and name of “Iskander Effendi” became immortal by naming the popular dish “Iskander Kebab”. This dish consists of slices of doner meat on pita bread covered with tomato sauce, on top of which is poured hot melted lamb butter.

_{Historical photo of doner kebab in 1855; Photo source: Wikimedia; Photographer: James Robertson}

The birth of the kebab doner sandwich

The answer to the question of who turned the doner kebab into a sandwich is not clear. Between 1960 and 1973, nearly one million Turkish workers immigrated to West Germany. Among them, “Kadir Nurman” opened a shop in Berlin in 1972 and sold flat bread filled with doner meat. According to Norman, this moment is considered the birth of the “grilled doner sandwich”.

“Norman’s” claim was met with debate and protest by many people; But in 2011, it was supported by Turkish Doner Producers Association in Europe. Since the combination of bread and kebab has been popular in Turkey and the Middle East for centuries, it is unlikely that “Norman” was the sole creator of this idea.

However, what “Norman” and other doner pioneers in Western Europe can be proud of is the spread of the doner phenomenon outside of Türkiye. Today, there are about 40,000 donut shops in Germany and about 20,000 donut shops in the UK.

_{Photo source: Savory Thoughts; Name of the photographer: unknown}

Doner kebab in Turkish kitchens

Doner Kebab is sometimes known as a greasy and salty food with processed and poor quality meat; But not all donors are like this. Some restaurants buy ready-made doner meat from wholesalers; while others prepare it in their kitchen.

For example, at Divan restaurant (winner of the best kebab restaurant in North and West London at British Kebab Awards 2023), chef Ali Divan uses a whole shoulder of sheep to prepare doner. He explains:

We clean, chop and season the meat and keep it in the refrigerator for 24 hours; Then, we cook it on skewers. This meat is flavored with aromatic herbs, spices and a special type of pepper paste from eastern Türkiye (where we are from).

This type of doner, which is prepared with whole pieces of meat, is known as “yaprak” or “leaf doner”.

_{Photo Source: Amazon UK; Photographer: Unknown}

Minced meat is used to prepare more even strips of doner meat called “kiyma”. According to Hakan Topkaya, manager of London’s Archway Kebab, which has also won the UK’s Best Kebab Award, they grind 40kg of lamb shoulder per kebab every day. He says about this:

We start work every day at 6:30 am. It’s like building a Ferrari. On the other hand, factory doners are often prepared from cheap ingredients such as soybeans, biscuit powder, low-quality meats, artificial colors and various additives, which make them unhealthy and difficult to digest.

While doner kebab is traditionally considered a meat dish, vegetarian versions of the dish have also become popular. Restaurants such as Vöner in Berlin and What the Pitta in London offer completely vegetarian options for the döner kebab.

_{gallery photos from dallas.culturemap.com, boxpark.co.uk, vice.com and kraftheinz.com; Photographers: Unknown}

What do you know about the history of doner kebab? Have you ever tried this traditional Turkish dish? Please inform Kajaro and its companions about your view and opinion.

_{cover photo source: secretldn.com; Photographer: Döner Shack}