Döner Kebab, the Taste of Berlin — Schnitzel & Stories

Welcome to the first episode of Season 2, titled Culinary Crossroads. This season focuses on the impact of migration and its profound influence on food and culture. In this episode, we chat with Erkan Emre, a Turkish-German entrepreneur and the mastermind behind Kotti Berliner Döner Kebab in New York City.

Erkan was born in Berlin to parents who came to Germany as "guest workers," a term used for immigrants recruited by the German government to fill labor shortages. He grew up in the Kottbusser Tor area of Berlin, where he developed a love for Döner Kebab—a dish created by other Turkish immigrants in the city.

In this episode, Erkan shares his fascinating journey of bringing the beloved Berlin Döner to the Big Apple, his experiences as a second-generation immigrant, and the challenges he faced in establishing a food business in the U.S.

He speaks candidly about the evolving identity of the Döner Kebab—a dish that, much like his own story, reflects the beautiful fusion of Turkish and German cultures. From navigating the U.S. food scene to emphasizing the importance of maintaining cultural roots, Erkan offers a unique perspective on preserving tradition while adapting to new environments.

Tune in as we explore how migrants from Turkey have shaped German street food and how a child of migrants became a migrant himself, now aiming to change the taste buds of the people in New York.

If you want to follow Erkan and his businesses, you can do so here: Find Kotti Berlin Döner and his second shop, Moritz on Instagram, or visit the websites here: http://www.kottidoner.com/ and www.moritznyc.com if you want to learn more about Erkan’s Hospitality Tech Business, visit www.openandrun.com

To learn more about the history of Döner Kebabs, check out these links in our Show Notes:

Erkans Story:
https://www.catercow.com/restaurant-profiles/kotti-berliner-doner-kebab

History of the Döner Kebap

https://wp.nyu.edu/berlinblog/doner/

https://www.morgenpost.de/berlin/article234880947/50-Jahre-Doener-Kebab-Die-Entwicklung-des-German-Doeners.html

https://www.tip-berlin.de/stadtleben/doener-kebap-in-berlin-geschichte/

https://www.iamexpat.de/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/how-doner-kebab-consumed-germany

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2016/nov/20/doner-kebabs-celebration-50-years-berlin-germany

https://adventure.com/gemany-fast-food-turkish-doner-kebab/

https://donerpointusa.com/blog/turkish-doner-kebab-a-delicious-history/

https://theistanbulinsider.com/know-your-doner-kebap-history-overview-and-selected-dishes/

https://dasdoenermuseum.de/blogs/news/the-birth-of-the-doner

https://theconversation.com/the-doner-kebab-an-unlikely-symbol-of-european-identity-117025

Döner Politics:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/07/germans-grill-olaf-scholz-over-soaring-cost-of-doner-kebabs

https://www.theguardian.com/food/article/2024/jul/24/germany-challenges-turkeys-protected-status-claim-for-the-doner-kebab

https://www.rbb24.de/panorama/beitrag/av24/video-berlin-steinmeier-doener-tuerkei-umfrage.html