Health is Wealth!
Living Food Chef and Educator

Before I got into raw veggan food, I felt tired and I most definitely looked like oldman. I was about 255lb. And getting bigger evrey 3 months.

At that time 2004-05 E I was eating “good” food (meat, chicken, veg and fruit), I had very little energy, I always looked a bit ill, and I couldn’t shake off an acne problem. I was up for trying anything to look and feel better, so back in 2004, I went to detox program South side of Chicago with Tossiyah Chapmanm for 28 days lost 18lb – and discovered raw food.

I spent all my spare time traning my self and reading up on raw food, finding the best places to buy ingredients, and experimenting with delicious, practical recipes – which helpme loose about total of 100lb in 9 months time.

His culinary experience began when he was about 7 years old, picking up wild mushrooms and cooking them with his Mother in his native country, Turkey.  Chef Mehmet worked his way up through the ranks in famous kebab houses in Turkey He also completed 3 years of hands-on training with Turkish culinary master chef Donerci Adem Baba in Izmit where he was born.  He want to travel around the world and discover many other recipes the way do that he take opportunity to work in international cargo carrier ships as a kitchen assistant and steward. He was 22 years old when he arrived in Chicago, and worked as a dishwasher, pizza maker, line cook, souse chef, and waiter, as well as captain in many of Chicago’s top restaurants.

Working in many of Chicago’s outdoor events got very interesting for Chef Mehmet, but he was not happy with the food that was being served.  He then decided to create a new healthy menu that would be both healthy and delicious!  The menu was very simple, with reasonably priced items like hummus on pita, spinach and cheese pies, and falafel sandwiches with tahini sauce.  After doing many outdoor events, everyone who tasted his food asked him to open his own restaurant.  He opened his first restaurant called Cousin’s Turkish Fine Dining in 1990.  He always featured vegetarian selections on his menu because he cared about the health of his patrons.  Over the years, he created four (4) Cousin’s restaurants with the same name and the same menu.  His restaurant was selected “best non-vegetarian restaurant for vegetarians” in Chicago (New City Magazine) as well as rated 3 stars in the Chicago Tribune, Sun Times, and Chicago Magazine.

Chef Mehmet participated  1 month long local detoxification program, and program required raw food diet he was thrilled and  became a vegan raw foodist. Not long after, he stopped cooking, closed down his restaurant, and converted it to a all organic vegan raw food restaurant.  In 2005, Chef Mehmet graduated from one of the top raw foods schools in the country, Living Light Culinary Arts Institute In California.  He is now an internationally recognized raw food chef instructor.

Now, after a 15 year eating raw vegan and teaching at culinary academi we have one in Chicago one in Turkey  I’m sharing my recipes and ideas with over the years ol over the World. Thank you for taking charge of your own health.