00:03Baklava masters start learning this rolling technique as young as 10 years old, stretching
00:11and folding dozens of times until the dough is paper thin.
00:22But one mistake could ruin hours of non-stop work.
00:34Here in Turkey, one of the oldest restaurants called Imam Chadas is fighting to keep this
00:41craft alive as factories are taking over production and commercializing the dessert.
00:48So we traveled to the southern province of Gaziantep to find out what makes this traditional
00:54baklava so renowned.
00:56Oh yeah, it's very heavy.
01:00And how this historic business is still standing.
01:06Every day for the last 50 years, Burhan Chadas has been working in this kitchen.
01:12Here baklava makers start their day as early as 4 a.m.
01:28The dough contains just water and wheat flour that's especially milk for baklava.
01:34Rolling it out until it's paper thin is crucial for getting the signature flaky layers.
01:58Perfecting this craft demands years of repetition and patience.
02:13After several rounds of rolling and cutting workers stack 40 layers of dough to make the fresh style
02:21baklava, spreading kaymak, a clotted cream made from sheep's milk.
02:26They also add clarified butter between the layers that's been slowly melted.
02:31For more than 70 years, Imam Chadas has sourced its butter from the same place,
02:38a mountain range near the Syrian border.
02:56The pistachios come from a local supplier the restaurant has worked with for 40 years.
03:02They're grown in orchards similar to these that are across Gaziantep.
03:07The ones used for baklava are harvested before they fully ripen to achieve the right flavor.
03:15That early harvest means less yield and a higher cost.
03:20The restaurant uses up to 500 kilos a week.
03:24And with prices as high as $60 per kilo, that's $30,000 in pistachios.
03:32Even with the hefty price tag, these nuts are a non-negotiable.
03:36The restaurant was one of the first officially registered businesses in Gaziantep.
03:55And it hasn't moved from this neighborhood in all that time.
04:02It's almost $40,000, right?
04:05Burhan told us that historically, the upper level was used as a hotel where traders would stay during
04:11their travels along the Silk Road.
04:14The ground floor was home to jewelers making and selling their goods.
04:18And an underground area they called the cave housed the camels.
04:23Back then, the Ottomans ruled over Turkey and popularized baklava as we know it today.
04:29It even became a main feature of their Ramadan traditions.
04:33As the Ottoman Empire expanded across the Middle East in the 1500s, baklava came with it.
04:41It wasn't until 1887 that Imam Chadash opened its doors in Gaziantep,
04:47initially selling only the classic kind of baklava.
04:51But turbulent times lay ahead.
04:54World War I brought down the Ottoman Empire in 1922.
04:59And Turkey struggled with change.
05:01But this restaurant held on and kept serving this dessert.
05:06Other countries in the region were also creating their own version of baklava.
05:10For example, the Greek one uses walnuts and a honey-based syrup and is often spiced with cinnamon and cloves.
05:18Iran infuses its variety with cardamom and rose water.
05:23And Algeria adds orange blossom to its syrup.
05:26In Turkey, classic baklava traditionally has pistachios with a light sugar syrup, clarified butter, and no spices.
05:34Once the trays are ready, chefs slide them into wood-fired ovens for a unique smoky taste.
05:41It's a good liquid, good oil, good baking powder.
05:47After about 35 minutes, workers checked the pastry's color to determine if it's done.
05:57You can see the eyes on the light.
06:00You can see the eyes on the light.
06:01You can see the eyes on the light.
06:02You can see the eyes on the light.
06:04But it's not done.
06:05That's why we choose natural soft lighting.
06:09These wood-burning ovens became essential in an unexpected way after the 2023 earthquakes devastated the region,
06:18leaving tens of thousands dead and entire communities destroyed.
06:23Without the need for natural gas, the restaurant was able to prepare food and provide meals for the community.
06:41Those meals included kebabs, another one of the restaurant's specialties.
06:47Gaziantep is known for its many types, and Burhan says the city's rich culinary scene
06:54has been shaped over generations of cross-cultural exchange.
06:59But all the people living in this area, the Armenians, the Rumians, the Arabs, the Turks, the Turks,
07:06all have made a gift to this sofras.
07:12That's why we continue to continue in Gungaz-Zantep's history.
07:20Food fuels its economy too, with roughly 60 percent of jobs tied to the industry.
07:26At Imam Chadish, the most popular kebab dishes change with the seasons.
07:32In winter, the onion kebab is a favorite.
07:35The meat used in these dishes is almost always lamb,
07:39and certain cuts are only associated with gaziantep, like kushleme.
07:44The meat used in the left and left is a combination.
07:48The meat used in two parts.
07:52It's a very valuable and very valuable kebab, kushleme.
07:58If it's 2-3 hours, the meat used in the day, we can't do it.
08:03Simit kebab is another dish made from hand-minced lamb, mixed with pistachios.
08:09But the restaurant's most popular kebab is Ali Nazik.
08:13First of all, we are ready to cook the egg.
08:20We are ready to cook the egg.
08:24We are ready to cook the egg.
08:40This is the famous dish, Ali Nasik.
08:44And it's in my case, tubes of chicken, but it usually comes with meat.
08:49Let's try it out.
08:54The first flavor that actually hits me is ghee.
08:57It's rich in ghee. Delicious, though.
09:00It's kind of ironic that I'm at this restaurant that has these amazing red meat dishes,
09:06but I actually don't eat red meat.
09:09Meanwhile, back in the baking area,
09:11the baklava trays are removed from the oven and placed on stoves,
09:17where they are kept at 200 degrees and continuously rotated to ensure even baking and a uniform golden color.
09:28Then workers pour clarified butter and a light syrup over the pastry.
09:34At this stage, the baklava and the syrup must be at the correct temperature to achieve the best texture.
09:41So this process is performed only by experienced baklava masters.
09:46First, we need to cook the egg.
09:48Then we need to cook the egg.
09:50Then we need to cook the egg.
09:52Then we need to cook the egg.
09:53Then we need to cook the egg.
09:54Then we need to cook the egg.
09:57But some fear the art of baklava making is under threat,
10:01with machines churning out the dessert on a much larger scale.
10:05So even though there are over 100 baklava shops in Gaziantep,
10:09only a handful are making it in this traditional way.
10:13At Imam Chadesh, 40% of the baklava is served in the restaurant,
10:18and the rest is sold outside the city and abroad.
10:22In the busy season, the restaurant can sell up to 1,700 pounds of baklava in a single day.
10:30Burhan says that once, they had three kinds, pistachio, walnut, and clotted cream.
10:35But now they serve 18 varieties.
10:39So you have so many different kinds of baklavas.
10:43Which one is your favorite?
10:45Classic baklava. Classic baklava.
10:48And the type of baklava determines when it should be consumed.
10:53Is it best when it's fresh or after a few days?
10:56The kuru baklavas can be used for a long time.
10:59The kuru baklavas can be used for 3 days, for a week.
11:03With over 200,000 Instagram followers, features from viral food influencers,
11:09This is one of the best Turkish baklavas that has been made since the 18th.
11:12And global coverage, Imam Chadesh has become a destination.
11:18Drawing visitors from around the world to Gaziantep for its famous baklavas.
11:23This is so good.
11:26On its busiest day, the restaurant can serve up to 1,000 people.
11:30Of course, I couldn't leave without trying some baklava myself.
11:55I could really hear that crunch.
11:57You need to feel the taste of the yeast, the fustu, the hamur and the cayman taste.
12:04These recipes have lasted for five generations.
12:08Starting with Burhan's great-grandfather, Hachi Hussain Offendi.
12:12Then came Imam Chadesh, whose name the business bears.
12:17His son Talat inherited it next.
12:20Now, Burhan runs the family business.
12:22And he hopes his two sons will one day take over.
12:26Then there are my brothers, Talat and Burhan.
12:31They will continue this process for a hundred years.
12:37Even though the family has mastered this craft,
12:41they have no plans of expanding beyond this restaurant in Gaziantep.
12:45My father told us,
12:48whether to make a lot or sell or sell or sell?
12:53We think we do sell and sell and sell.
12:56That's why we don't have a signature.
12:59We want to continue to continue this process for years.
13:02I want us to continue to keep the same quality and quality.
13:12After a whole day of seeing food being made, it feels really good to eat right now.
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