From Internet Celebrity to Controversy: How Salt Bae's Restaurant Empire Went into Decline

Remember the salt-sprinkling gesture that once took social media by storm? This move made a Turkish chef famous worldwide and became a symbol of internet culture. But now, this once-influential online empire is crumbling. Recent reports show that his restaurant chain is facing severe financial difficulties, with seven steak restaurants closing most of their locations—only two are barely operating—and accumulated losses reaching £5.4 million. Even more striking, many former employees have come forward to reveal the true side of this internet celebrity.

How the Salt-Sprinkling Gesture Made a Turkish Chef a Global Sensation

Salt Bae’s real name is Nusret Gokce, from Turkey. His rise is full of inspiring elements—born into poverty, his father a miner, his mother a homemaker. As a child, he wore hand-me-down clothes and dropped out early to work in a butcher shop. In 2007, he borrowed money to study high-end steak cutting in Argentina. After three years, he returned to Turkey to open a modest restaurant with just eight tables.

The turning point came in 2017. A 36-second video went viral online. In the clip, he expertly slices a steak with fluid motion, then strikes a seductive pose—left leg slightly bent, right hand raised, elegantly rotating a pinch of salt with his long fingers. The next shot is even more memorable: salt grains slide down his muscular arm, precisely sprinkling onto the steak. The coordination of his movements combined with his serious expression created a dramatic effect.

Initially, the video circulated on a small scale in Turkey. Two weeks later, when American pop star Bruno Mars saw it on Twitter, he was captivated by the mysterious salt-sprinkling gesture and shared it with his followers. The view count skyrocketed from a few thousand to 2.4 million in a short time. In the following days, the sharing frenzy continued. Salt Bae seized this wave of attention, leveraging his newfound fame to jump from an obscure Turkish restaurant owner to a global sensation, with social media followers reaching into the millions.

Within a year of his rise, he registered the “Salt Bae” brand, opening his first steak restaurant in Istanbul named after himself. He then expanded to Miami with a NusR-et branch, with David Beckham personally supporting. Soon after, outlets opened in New York, London, Dubai, Mykonos, and other locations—totaling 31 restaurants worldwide. The Manhattan branch’s first-month revenue exceeded £1 million.

Past Glory: Premium Steaks and Celebrity Glamour

In London, a 24K gold-wrapped “Warhorse” steak costs up to £700, while a meat-based “noodle” dish sells for £95. Even a regular burger wrapped in gold leaf can go for £100. In Dubai, a gold-plated steak costs 1,250 dirhams (£268), while non-gilded steaks start at just 340 dirhams (£72).

Such pricing, combined with Salt Bae’s fame, drew crowds. Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Messi, Beckham’s family, rapper Diddy, and others visited. Even Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s prime and vice-prime minister, became a fan.

Due to overwhelming customer flow, Salt Bae couldn’t personally cut every steak. His schedule was nearly insane—every Monday in Turkey, lunch in Istanbul, then dinner in Ankara, followed by trips to Dubai from Thursday to Saturday, returning to Istanbul on Saturday, and flying to Miami on Sunday. While most visitors couldn’t meet him in person, they often said the steaks were expensive but worth it. Yet, the authenticity of such reviews is questionable—after all, paying so much for average-tasting food is hard to admit.

Over the years, Salt Bae’s net worth has reached tens of millions of pounds. He owns properties in Istanbul and Mykonos, and has established a culinary complex on Ibiza, Spain. His fleet includes cars worth around £1 million, including two Rolls-Royces valued at at least £250,000 each, parked in Dubai and Miami. He also owns a speedboat and a private jet. His private life resembles that of Hollywood’s wealthy elite—driving a private plane for a top-tier steak in Dubai costs enough in fuel to feed an average person’s steak for a year.

Curtain Falls: Employee Complaints and Controversies

By 2023, negative voices emerged. Customers complained that paying £500 for Salt Bae to personally cut their steak, only to see him distractedly slicing while on a phone call with headphones, was disappointing.

Legal actions from employees followed. London staff complained of unjust public dismissals; New York employees accused management of unpaid wages and tip deductions. His lawyers claimed these allegations were baseless, but the foundation of Salt Bae’s restaurant empire was shaky.

An anonymous female employee described an “extremely tense” work environment under his management—long hours, even monitoring water intake and bathroom breaks. She also revealed that Salt Bae was described as “hostile and threatening.” She further disclosed: “He would make bizarre demands, like asking staff to give him foot massages during dinner service.” More disturbingly, he reportedly engaged with women after work as if he were a celebrity.

The Truth Revealed: The Price of Leather Steaks and Management Issues

The expensive steaks also came under scrutiny. Employees revealed that these supposedly premium products were often just wrapped in cheap edible gold leaf, yet sold at hundreds of pounds more—essentially a marketing deception.

In a lawsuit in New York, female bartender Elizabeth Cruz accused management of requiring her to wear “miniskirts and high heels,” which she felt was sexual harassment. Although the case was settled privately, the toxic work culture Salt Bae fostered could no longer be hidden.

Additionally, his relationship with American rapper Diddy has become a stain. Salt Bae was seen multiple times with Diddy—from London restaurants to Dubai nightclubs. In 2017, Diddy invited him to cook for friends and family at his mansion, and Salt Bae attended Diddy’s New Year’s Eve party in Miami. He once called Diddy “the greatest genius in history and a true friend.” Now, with Diddy facing nationwide investigations over sexual assault allegations, this association has tainted Salt Bae’s image.

The Social Media Boom’s Aftermath

During the 2022 World Cup final, when Argentina won, Salt Bae suddenly stormed onto the pitch, embraced Messi tightly, kissed the trophy, and disrupted the celebration. The video sparked outrage online. FIFA launched an investigation, and Salt Bae apologized, claiming he was “overcome with excitement,” but netizens dismissed it as a publicity stunt.

His rise was once seen as an inspiring story, but it also illustrates a harsh truth: in the social media era, success can come quickly, but when the spotlight fades, if there’s no solid foundation, decline can be rapid. Salt Bae’s case exemplifies this—once hailed as a social media icon, now mired in controversy. It reminds us that true business success requires not just exposure but responsibility and honest management.