Viral Chef 'Salt Bae' To Open Midtown Steakhouse, Report Says

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Turkish chef Nusret Gökçe, more commonly referred to as "Salt Bae," is set to open his new steakhouse in Midtown Manhattan later this week, according to reports.

The New York City outpost of Nusr-et will open Thursday in a 150-seat space in the CBS "Black Rock" building at 60 W. 53rd St. near Sixth Avenue, the New York Times first reported. Gökçe, 35, became an internet sensation after a video of his signature seasoning technique went viral in 2017.

"In Turkey, butchering was a low-class, degrading job," the chef told the New York Times. "Now, thanks to me, all the kids want to become butchers."

Gökçe first indicated that the restaurant was close to opening in November, when a listing for front- and back-of-house talent at the new steakhouse popped up on Craigslist. The only job qualification specifically listed in the ad is that employees must have a "burning with desire to flare it up."

That same burning desire is displayed on Gökçe's Instagram page, where he posts near-daily videos of him preparing various cuts of meat. Gökçe is usually decked out in his signature shades and white t-shirt and always finishes a dish by sprinkling a hefty portion of salt down his forearm.

The Midtown location of Nusr-et will feature a menu heavy on red meat that's first cooked over charcoal and then carved tableside, the Times reported. The restaurant will serve both conventional and specialty cuts of meat that diners can pick out from a glass case by the kitchen, according to the report.

Gökçe is focused on opening Nusr-et, but also has a second New York City location in the works that will serve up his signature burger — a combination of beef and veal, the New York Times reported.

Read the full Times article here.

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