About

Irem Aksu​ is a London-based chef and researcher from Turkey. She founded her project Topik: food without borders, in 2015 whilst completing her MA in Cultural and Critical Studies at Birkbeck University of London.

Irem started running her pop-up dinner series based on Istanbul diverse cuisine at E5 Bakehouse in London, where she cooked with seasonal, locally sourced produces and explored sourdough bread making principles over two years. Each menu she created was inspired by different cuisines including Sephardic Jewish, Istanbul Rum (Greeks), Armenian, Circassian which perhaps unrecognised or hidden, make up Turkey’s modern-day culinary culture. As well as completing work experience at Ottolenghi, Irem was the chef in residence at the renowned October Gallery in Bloomsbury, London between autumn 2018 – spring 2019 period where she served seasonal dishes captured the unspoken flavours from Turkey and beyond.

Alongside Topik London, Irem carries on her daily professional kitchen routine in London-based restaurants as a chef and menu development consultant.

Selected dinner series/exhibition/collaborations

COOKING CLASS AT LAS ALPUJARRAS, IN ANDALUSIA, SPAIN IN COLLABORATION WITH LAS CHIMENEAS,

July-August 2020

LUNCH + DINNER SERIES 2019, August-present Delfina Foundation, London

TOPIK CHEF RESIDENCY AT OCTOBER GALLERY 2018, August-2019,March
Bloomsbury, London

Future Of Food Salon Series by ​Future Scales​ @Bernsteins Bar x Irem Aksu
2018, July
Bernstein’s Bar, London
Talk + dinner about how to build sustainable supply chains, and what the food industry can do to develop and support transparent and meaningful supply chains

Istanbul Urban Feast Series
2018, January / March / May
Simple, fresh, vibrant food of Istanbul urban culinary culture