The Man Who Made the First Döner Kebab in Germany

We are sure that if you have been abroad, you have felt as happy as if you were in your own country when you saw a döner restaurant there. Especially in this regard In Germany, which is as good as Turkey There are doner kebab restaurants every step of the way. Do you think Germans love döner that much?

Let’s give the answer now, yes. Our national dish does not lose the first place in the Germans’ favorite fast food list.. So how did döner kebab travel to Germany and become famous?

For this we need to go back to 1972.

The story of doner bread in Germany goes back half a century. It reaches out to two migrant workers in Berlin, Kadir Nurman and Mehmet Aygün. II. It is still a matter of debate who was the first person to introduce doner kebab to German soil, among the immigrants who came from Eastern and Southern Europe to revitalize the West German economy after World War II. However, the European Turkish Doner Manufacturers Association officially gave this title to Kadir Nurman.

spokesperson of the association To Gürsel Ülber According to reports, the first doner kebab in West Berlin was sold by Kadir Nurman in 1972. However, both migrant workers claim that they are the first to serve döner, which is normally served with rice pilaf and salad, in bread at a rate that Germans can easily consume on the street.

Kadir Nurman from Malatya is in the caravan going to Germany as a worker.

According to what those who knew Nurman said, whatever he did was in his hands, so to speak. After working in Germany for a while, he returned to Turkey and started business and unfortunately failed. Afterwards he thought it wouldn’t happen, he went to Germany again. It is said that he even sells ice cream on the street. Nurman opened a doner shop called City Grill in the center of Berlin in 1972. Perhaps he took firm steps towards the best decision he ever made in his life.

Döner kebab, which has been served on a plate in Turkish cuisine since time immemorial., a traditional dish consumed with rice. However, Kadir Nurman developed the idea as a fast meal alternative by serving doner meat between hamburger-style bread. Germans, who were introduced to Nurman’s creativity, adopted döner so much that over time it became one of the indispensable foods of the country.

In Germany, doner kebabs have surpassed even sausages among fast-food dishes consumed quickly.

This situation is actually an important indicator of the impact of immigrants from Turkey on German culture and economy. Moreover, this provides very good employment for Turks. Introducing doner kebab to Germany Kadir Nurman, He died in Berlin on October 24, 2013. Two years before his death, in 2011, the Turkish Döner Producers Federation gave Kadir Nurman the title of “inventor of the döner in bread”, which was an undisputed approval for those who claimed to have invented the döner in the first place.

So why do Germans love döner so much?

Delicious, with plenty of ingredients, protein and salad options Having it always at hand is a great advantage. Of course, in addition to its taste, the fact that the portions are large, filling, practical and affordable make this food popular in Germany.

While doner was initially made from beef in Germany, it was later prepared from various types of meat such as chicken, lamb and turkey. is diversified. As you can see, doner kebab has many options. both satisfying and delicious It has found a universal echo that it is a food.

Kadir Nurman’s Döner, which he introduced to the Germans, is today a very popular dish in the world as well as in our country. Wherever you go in the world, you will definitely find a similar version, even if it is not the same. Maybe Kadir Nurman could not guarantee this, but we can give it to you.

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