Selin Kiazim: “Turkish food is not represented so well in central London”

How did Leydi come about?

I was approached by Ennismore about creating a new restaurant within its Hyde London City hotel. It was quite a few years ago now, and I was still running Oklava at the time. Initially [Ennismore] wanted a standalone restaurant that would blend elements of different Middle East and eastern Mediterranean cuisine, but the more I thought about it the more I wanted to refine it and create a hub for Turkish cooking. There’s a lot of great Turkish restaurants in London, particularly in the suburbs of north London, but in central London I don’t think it’s represented so well.

Tell us about the concept

I wanted to focus on it being pure, unadulterated Turkish cooking. It’s inspired by Istanbul and its all-day eating culture, from street food to the lokantas that bring together different groups of tourists and locals, serving broad menus of strews, mezze and kebabs. It’ll have that vibe by day, and then in the evening it’ll be inspired more by the city’s meyhanes [the Turkish equivalent of a tavern], which has more of a lively, party vibe and features bigger sharing dishes.

What’s can diners expect from the menu?

The basis of the menu is created by myself and I really appreciated the freedom I had designing it. Sometimes, because of location, the temptation can be to dumb down the food, but this is very pure Turkish cooking. A lot of the recipes I’ve worked on with Halil Simsek, Leydi’s head chef. Halil was a sous chef at Oklava at the time Ennismore first approached me about the project and was eventually promoted to head chef there prior to its closure (in 2023). When this project was on its way, I asked him if he wanted to work on it together. He's a brilliant chef and I knew he was the man for the job. I pitched it as a restaurant that would put Turkish food on the map. It’s a big operation and there’s a lot to get right. We’ll be making all our breads in house and butchering all the meats ourselves. We’ll also be making our own döner. It’s a substantial menu that includes different offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most of the dishes will remain the same throughout the year, but there will be specials and some seasonal dishes, which Halil will be overseeing with my input where he wants it.

There are reports that you have other projects in the pipeline too…

I will be opening a restaurant in Amsterdam, where I live with my partner Stephanie. It’ll be a small little restaurant for ourselves, which is where I’ll mainly be cooking. We’re hoping to get that open before the end of the year. And I’m also working on a consultancy project for a place in Istanbul that’s expected to launch next year.

How have diner attitudes towards Turkish cuisine changed in the years since you opened Oklava?

They’re more and more engaged with what Turkish cuisine is, absolutely. I remember back in 2015 when I opened Oklava, Middle Eastern and eastern Mediterranean food was just starting to have a moment and has continued to gain momentum, and in the last few years we’ve seen a huge appetite for it. I always say I cook Turkish food through the eyes of a Londoner, it’s where I grew up and I have my own way of interpreting it and I think that will come through in the food. In some respects, it’s not anything ground breaking we’re doing here, but I think it’s very unique in its own way. It’s all in the details, and we’re very detail focused.

What are the key differences between collaborating with a larger operator like Ennismore on a restaurant rather than going it alone?

With anything I do it’s about the opportunity presented and this was a great idea and vision. And I’ve loved working the with Ennismore and the Carte Blanched team to bring it together. It’s been a real partnership and all the ideas I’ve had we’ve been able to discuss. There’s a team of restaurant designers behind me here. As a small business owner you usually don’t get to reach into those sorts of budgets and details, and I’ve really enjoyed that aspect. And as a chef it’s been really interesting doing it on a creative front and looking at what’s achievable and able to be taught in the kitchen, which is why it’s great to have someone like Halil on board. He’s someone who really understands the food and can execute it, which is crucial. It’s one thing creating the menu, but it’s the chefs that have to bring it to life and keep the standards up on a day-to-day basis.