Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I'm a professional chef based in the UK.
The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. I started this blog during the Covid-19 pandemic when I was not able to "work" in a professional kitchen.
I decided that it is a great opportunity to shift my energy toward creating a platform where I can share my recipes with friends and family, and the world.
Shortly after I launched my blog, I have been interviewed by Catherine Macallister and featured on Ox In A Box - Oxford’s ‘go-to’ entertainment site, that gives up-to-date information on what’s going on city and county-wide. You can find out more "about me" with this interview.
In Turkish culture, food is at the center of every gathering: religious holidays, birthdays, celebrations, funerals, and the list goes on. So, probably like many others, I love food. And not just the food itself, but also the process of preparing the food fascinated me from a very young age as my mom was an amazing cook and she dedicated most of her time to cooking delicious food for our family and loved ones. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.
Moving To UK
In 2008, I came to London to study Culinary Arts at Le Cordon Bleu. After graduating from school, I started to work as a chef in some of the most prestigious hotels in the world including Mandarin Oriental London and Rosewood London hotels.
I am currently living in the countryside with my husband in the middle of the woods, and apart from cooking, I enjoy sailing, going for long walks in the forest, and mushroom hunting (I am obsessed with mushrooms)! I also have a beautiful daughter who is my best friend and the person who encouraged me to create this blog.
About Cooking Gorgeous
All recipes in this blog are created by me and tested at least twice by myself, my husband, and friends&family before it goes up in this blog. I know how frustrating it is to put all the time and effort into a recipe and it just doesn't turn out right!
In Cooking Gorgeous, I hope to share my 15 years of professional expertise as well as 30 years of cooking experience in a clear and accurate way, and I promise good results as long as you follow the recipe diligently!
Please sign-up for my email newsletter where I share with you my new recipes, resources, and life updates regularly!
I hope you find some recipes in this blog that will bring joy to you and your loved ones. Please drop a comment if you try and enjoy the recipes and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions!
Ayla xx
