If you have spent any time on social media at all over the past few years, you have probably seen a man who likes to sprinkle salt on steaks in the most extravagant way possible. In fact, we would even go so far as to say that he can be a little extra! This chef, for those who have been living under a rock, is named Salt Bae.
Now that he’s gotten this unique moniker and made such a strong name for himself, it is time to take stock of how he got to this point. To learn more about Salt Bae net worth and the path that he took to become one of the most famous chefs in the world, please be sure to read on….
Salt Bae’s Humble Beginnings
Born Nusret Gökçe, this world famous chef did not have the most auspicious upbringing. In fact, his father struggled mightily in order to make ends meet. Nusret was born back in 1983, to a Kurdish family that resided in Erzurum, Turkey. His father worked in a mine and struggled to make enough money to maintain the household.
Unfortunately, the family was forced to move during his childhood. Eventually, his father could no longer afford to pay the rent in Erzurum, so they made their way to the coastal town of Darcia. The family’s difficult economic circumstances also had a very direct effect on Nusret’s upbringing. By the time he reached the 6th grade, he was forced to drop out of school.
He became a butcher’s apprentice in Istanbul. After many years of hard work, he was finally able to save enough money to pursue his own dream. He moved to Argentina and set about the task of becoming a high quality chef.
Salt Bae Worked For Free
Yes, you read that heading correctly. By the time he had turned 24, Salt Bae had begun to offer his services for free, as a means of working his way up the ladder. He visited a number of different countries, including the United States, where he worked for no money. Why did he feel as if this would be a beneficial path to take, though?
He believed that this was the path that he needed to take in order to become the best chef possible. Salt Bae had a dream: he wanted to be able to open a restaurant one day. In his mind, this was the easiest way to soak up the necessary knowledge.
Salt Bae’s Challenging Path To Fame
You would think that working for free would have smoothed the path a bit for him but in reality? Salt Bae had a long, hard road to the fame and fortune that he enjoys today. It was not easy for him. Can you believe that he tried to get his US visa on nine different occasions and was refused every single time?
Once he finally made his way back to Turkey in 2010, he tried his best to get his own restaurant off the ground as quickly as possible. This initial foray into the world of restaurant ownership was not that lucrative for Salt Bae, however. The location was not large enough and could only fit eight tables.
When Did It All Change?
Finally, Salt Bae met the person who would change his entire trajectory. Ferit Sahenk is a wealthy Turkish businessman that happened to dine at his restaurant. He was so blown away by this chef’s handiwork, he decided that he needed to invest in him going forward. It turned out to be a very prescient decision.
Within a few years, the man formerly known as Nusret was able to open new restaurants in Istanbul, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Finally, the video that truly changed things for him would make its way online. He posted a 36 second video of his salt sprinkling technique that would end up taking the internet by storm.
How The Salt Bae Phenomenon Began
Once the video ended up going viral, things moved very quickly for Salt Bae. Bruno Mars posted Salt Bae’s video with his caption the next morning, which only served to make his star rise even faster. The internet is a fascinating place, as you never know what is going to end up striking a major nerve. The video ended up getting nearly three million views within two days.
The meme was all over the place and it was not long before he was rechristened as Salt Bae. The sprinkling of the salt made him popular but people also loved his unique body language. The way that he says “wow!” struck a major chord, too. It’s also the fact that he maintains such a serious demeanor, while simultaneously being so hilarious.
What Is Salt Bae Net Worth?
As you would expect, celebrities flocked to Salt Bae and his net worth skyrocketed as a result of his newfound fame. They all had a blast with him and this only served to increase the amount of interest in his food. His business has exploded, allowing him to accrue a net worth of $70 million. Celebrities palling around with Salt Bae only made his restaurants more attractive to potential diners.
This gave him the chance to finally make his dream into a reality. Fortunately for him, he has not looked back since. He’s become the owner of Nusr-et, a chain of luxury steakhouses that is named after him. In addition to his massive net worth, the business itself is said to have been valued in the billions. He also has over 35 million followers on his Instagram page.
Has Salt Bae Changed His Ways?
You might expect someone who has worked this long and hard to reach the top to become complacent or maybe even full of themselves. That is not the case when it comes to Salt Bae. Even when he was given the chance to make an appearance on Saturday Night Live, he did not use the platform to boast or brag about himself. Instead, he spoke openly about the importance of continuing his same daily routine.
There is a great lesson here for anyone who is looking to emulate the path that Salt Bae has taken. He did rest on his laurels once he had the chance to build his net worth and hang out with Rihanna. Salt Bae is living proof that there is no such thing as an overnight success. He worked long and hard to get as far as he has and he overcome an impoverished childhood to do it. We firmly expect his star (and net worth) to continue to rise during the years to come.
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