From the Kitchen to the World: What Hospitality Taught Me About People
People often ask me how a career that started behind a bar and in a kitchen led to building a group of companies across eight countries. My honest answer is simple: everything I know about business, I first learned in hospitality.
I began with wine. Long before I spoke about recruitment or real estate, I was pouring glasses, learning regions and grapes, and discovering that the right recommendation could turn an ordinary evening into a memory. Being named Best Sommelier in Türkiye was an honour I never take for granted — but the real lesson was quieter: listen first, then serve.
Over the years I wore many uniforms. I worked as Bar Manager, Restaurant Manager, Food & Beverage Director, Villa Manager and Duty Manager — including in the VIP lounges of Qatar Airways, where every guest arrives tired and every detail matters. Standing on stage in Abu Dhabi to receive the award for Best Restaurant Manager was a proud moment, yet I held that trophy for my whole team. In hospitality, nobody succeeds alone.
The kitchen has always been where I feel most at home. Whether cooking in my own restaurant, opening The Aroma Restaurant & Lounge, teaching cooking classes or standing in front of an audience at Gastrofest Turkey, I have loved sharing the flavours of Sri Lanka and Asia with people from every corner of the world. Cooking with chefs from Türkiye's culinary community taught me that food is a language everyone understands — and that tradition and innovation belong at the same table.
Those years gave me the foundation for ZENZ. Our story began in 2017 with a single Asian restaurant in Kadriye. Running it, I saw how hard it was to find talented people — and how many talented people were searching for the right opportunity. That gap became our purpose. Today, through ZENZ Global and the companies of ZENZ Group, we connect chefs, hotel teams, managers and specialists with employers across the world.
When I meet a young chef today, I see myself twenty years ago: hungry to learn, ready to work hard, hoping someone will open a door. I believe it is our responsibility to open those doors — and to treat every person, from the dishwasher to the general manager, with the same respect.
Hospitality taught me that leadership is not about titles. It is about showing up, taking care of the details, and making sure the people around you can shine. That is what I try to bring to every business I build, and every person I meet.
Success is not measured by how far we rise, but by how many people we help rise along the way.
