UAE: Viral Turkish Chef Severs All Ties With Dubai Restaurant CZN Burak

Well-known Turkish chef Ozdemir Burak - popularly known as CZN Burak - has severed all ties with his Dubai-based restaurant citing unpaid dues and reputational damage among other issues. The internet personality took to social media to post a detailed statement on why he took such an extreme step.

CZN Burak, which is located on the Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, is managed by Dives Holding, which claims that the restaurant brand operates in ten outlets in nine countries.

“This relationship has become economically, legally, and morally unsustainable from my perspective,” he wrote in a statement that he published on Friday.

He stated that the company had committed several breaches, including“late and incomplete payments”,“persistent breaches of contract” despite notifications and“mismanagement of the brand”, which he claimed hurt his reputation and brand.

This new statement comes three days after Burak first posted a video to his over 52 million followers on Instagram, that he had no legal or business ties with any company in Dubai.

In 2023, Burak pursued legal action against his father for embezzling funds, obtaining loans and selling the rights of a restaurant he owned for millions of dirhams.

Meanwhile, Dive released a statement claiming that they were the“sole and exclusive rights holder” of the CZN Burak, Chef Burak and other related brands across all countries outside of Turkey. It also stated that it was“committed to welcoming guests” across all its outlets and that further openings were planned.

The company claimed that the brand had evolved into a“global success story” in just five years with the company's“investment and strategic management”.

In its statement, Dives Holding wrote that although Burak had been the public face of the brand,“all operational processes-including menu development, marketing strategies, and international expansion-have been directed and managed by Dives Holding's teams” - an approach they said has helped the brand's stability and sustainability.

First opened in 2021, the CZN Burak restaurant has been extremely popular and has had several prominent guests including Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, football player Christiano Ronald and MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.

CZN Burak went viral for his videos on social media, where he prepares oversized Turkish and Middle Eastern dishes, with an ever-smiling face. Very often, he donated these large meals to those in need. In 2023, after a devastating earthquake in Turkey, he flew from the UAE to the earthquake-hit zones to cook dishes for those who had been affected.

In his social media note, he wrote that his brand value, personal credibility, and public standing have been damaged under the poor management of Dive Holding.

“CZN Burak - Chef Burak is not merely a brand; it is a life story built with my body, my labour, my face, my soul, and my sincerity,” he said.“This brand was born from the bond I established with millions on social media, the smiles we shared at the table, and the relationships I personally built on the ground. It grew with the sweat that rolled down my face while I poured rice in front of the cameras. It rose through the heartfelt connection I built with guests from every corner of Turkey and across the world. I am not, as claimed, the 'face' of this brand, I am the brand itself.”

He concluded the note by saying that he will reject any attempt to present a brand that grew with him“as a product managed behind the scenes by others” while he is reduced to the role of“a brand ambassador.”

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