HE once rubbed shoulders with A-Listers and you couldn’t open your phone without seeing his face on your social media feed.
But the shine appears to have come off the man known as Salt Bae – famed for his outrageously expensive golden steaks – as he is rocked by controversies and his businesses are hemorrhaging millions of pounds.
His spectacular rise saw him go from a Turkish butcher to a global celebrity almost overnight – all thanks to viral power of his sprinkling salt pose.
Stars including David Beckham, Leonardo DiCaprio and other A-listers flocked to his restaurants for the food and the spectacle – with diners paying up to £1,450 for gold-coated Tomahawk steak.
But his fame has since been hit by a string of controversies, legal battles and complaints from unhappy diners.
PR expert Nick Ede believes the problem is that Salt Bae’s fame was built around a viral novelty – and simply couldn’t be sustained.
He said: “He was merely just a Turkish chef, who loved his food, his meat, though he was never a fantastic chef like Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver for example.
“Salt Bae was doing one thing, and when it blew up and people became enthralled by the pouring of salt on their meat by him, it became a novelty, which eventually, as with most novelties, they wear off.
“The fame went to his head.”
Salt Bae somehow got onto the pitch after Argentina‘s victory over France and chased players for photographs and was seen handling the World Cup trophy.
Lionel Messi also appeared visibly uncomfortable when Bae tried to get his attention.
The stunt sparked worldwide ridicule and raised questions over how he had gained access to the pitch.
Ede told The Sun: “When he went onto the pitch at the World Cup final in Qatar he acted like he was some sort of demi God, mingling among the likes of Messi and Mbappe.
“He clearly thought he was more elevated than he was and this sent ripples around the world.”
There was no repeat of the stunt at this year’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Instead, the tournament passed without Salt Bae becoming part of the main football story – with him posting an Instagram video of himself watching from the sidelines.
His troubles have not been confined to football.
Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gökçe, has faced a string of lawsuits from former employees in the US.
Workers have alleged issues including tip-sharing, unpaid overtime and poor working conditions.
One case was settled for $230,000 in 2021, while further claims followed.
Then in December last year, he lost a two-year legal battle over the word “SALT”.
He had tried to stop a rival from registering the trademark in Britain, arguing the word was synonymous with his brand.
Though his challenge was rejected, handing another blow to the celebrity chef.
TOWIE star Gemma Collins famously revealed she felt “sick” after splashing £1,450 at his London restaurant.
The reality star had enjoyed a night out at the Knightsbridge venue with boyfriend Rami Hawash in 2021.
Salt Bae himself sliced into the 24-carat gold-covered tomahawk before sprinkling salt over it in his trademark pose.
But the gargantuan bill left Collins in “utter shock”.
She later admitted she felt “a bit sick” the next morning when she thought about how much she had spent.
Collins said: “I went a bit over the top, but the only way I can justify it was that I haven’t been on holiday this year.
“Yes, we had 24 carat gold steak…I felt a bit sick.
“It was an amazing experience, I would have paid that to meet him anyway because I love him, and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“But I started to feel really bad the next day because there are people starving in the world. I just started feeling really bad about it all.”
The London restaurant has since become a symbol of the wider problems facing his empire.
Its gold-covered steak has vanished from the menu, although diners can still expect eye-watering prices.
A wagyu striploin has cost £680, while a giant tomahawk has been priced at £630.
The Knightsbridge site was also reported to have turned off its heating in 2024 to save energy.
That was despite the restaurant continuing to serve steaks costing hundreds of pounds.
The company said it was improving energy efficiency and had also limited lighting and the use of its air curtain.
Its finances now paint an even bleaker picture.
Nusr-Et’s London site recorded a £5.4million loss last year, according to accounts reported in 2025.
Five of the group’s international sites have also closed.
Its US operations were revalued by £6.6million after what the company called “exceptional expenses”.
The restaurant has also faced a wave of poor reviews.
Tripadvisor is packed with one-star ratings from unhappy customers, while critics have also taken aim at the food.
One critic described the restaurant as a “vibeless business lounge” and called it “categorically a bad restaurant”.
It has an average rating of 2.9 stars from 408 reviews – with 183 one star reviews, and 162 five star reviews.
Former staff have also made allegations about working conditions and treatment inside the business.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/16924704/salt-bae-turkish-chef-viral-sensation-business-empire-loss/
