First impressions can sometimes happen even before you’ve met the person. I often do my research, write out my questions, and then reach out via email or phone to set a date to meet the person in question. In the case of Abdullah Avci, head of Restaurant Operations at Turkish restaurants Emirgan Sutis and Akdeniz Hatay Sofrasi in Kuwait, I was preparing for a high-strung conversation about hospitality, complete with difficult customer challenges and staff scheduling nightmares. But, to my surprise, Abdullah’s Whatsapp icon is a simple black tee-shirt that reads, ‘Keep Calm and let Abdullah handle it.’ I instantly knew that I was about to meet a quiet person, someone who truly values control.
I am used to, quite enamored, actually, by the constant hustle of the hospitality industry, the action never stops. We have to catch chefs for photoshoots between shifts in fleeting moments, and managers are usually too busy to get two words in, but when I’d arrived at Emirgan Sutis at The Avenues, everything was moving along like a well-oiled machine. Abdullah greeted me warmly, the gracious host that he is, and offered me a steaming cup of Turkish coffee, followed by Çay and some dessert.
Extremely mild-mannered and well versed in the world of hospitality, Abdullah Avci’s role as Operations Manager at Al Hajery Group is not easy. He has to manage the restaurant operations at not one, but two very famous Turkish restaurants in Kuwait. Ask any local diner about their preferred Turkish dining destinations, and you will find that Sutis and Hatay usually feature in their replies. Known to recreate those wonderful Istanbul vibes, Emirgan Sutis is a favored hotspot for local diners, and Hatay Sofrasi brings rustic, southern Turkish dining for customers who favor hearty family-style meals. With multiple locations across Kuwait, a large number of staff members between the kitchens and restaurant floors, I was amazed at how this sage restaurateur keeps it all together.
The Turkish Abdullah started his career with Al Hajery Group eight and a half years ago. He was there to witness the early days and help grow both concepts, starting off as a waiter in Sutis, and he is proud to see how popular both concepts have become. Before coming to Kuwait for the first time, Abdullah wondered what life would be like in the Middle East. “I was based in Miami before coming to Kuwait, “ he started us off, “I was working on a cruise ship, traveling the world for three years. I was ready for a new chapter.” Surprisingly, Turkey is just a footstep away, “ But I was always wondering what life would be like in Arab countries like Kuwait. I loved it right away, the people are really nice. I was lucky that Turkish serials were super popular back then. I was so surprised by how locals were picking up on the Turkish language. Even though I didn’t watch them as much, now I do!” He laughingly said.
Growing in his role, he ascended to supervisor at Sutis, then assistant manager, and proceeded to enter the dynamic world of operations for first Sutis, then Hatay. He credits the company’s management for their belief in their employees. “For them [Al Hajery], the staff is very important and they are always taking care of us. They care about your life, and your safety and well-being, especially with what we experienced with this pandemic. I am blessed to be here with my family, but seeing how so many of our team members were totally alone here during the pandemic, and how some lost family members, we are all very lucky to have the support of our management during these times. I believe that our loyalty toward our company and our jobs greatly increased due to their support.”
I was also stunned to learn how Al Hajery has embraced both Abdullah and his wife Gulcin Avci, who, to our utter surprise, also happens to be the head chef at Emirgan Sutis. Abdullah’s support for his wife is heart-warming, “She’s an AMAZING cook, she runs the kitchen like the total professional that she is. Her talent in the kitchen really shines, she’s constantly self-learning and always developing, and she is now managing the entire kitchen operations. Every strong man would be lucky to have a stronger woman, like her, to support him.” Abdullah recounts his nerves during his first years in Kuwait, as he didn’t speak Arabic properly, a language he is now able to command, and he credits his wife’s drive and support as key factors which led him to excel at his job. On living in Kuwait, Abdullah loves how the country is such a melting pot of different cultures. He tells me that his daughter is picking up Arabic much easier now, and she is growing up to have a wide circle of friends from different countries.
Support, listening, problem-solving, are all qualities which Abdullah displays effortlessly. His calm demeanor is a strength, as guests arrive at the restaurant and they don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. Training, scheduling, and kitchen operations. When I asked him how he does it all, he once again credits Al Hajery’s support in believing in his techniques, “I am aware that there are many strategies to manage the business, and my strategy, my belief is that happy employees make for happy diners. It’s easy. Yeah, you know if they are happy even while yes, training is there, and schedules are there, but once you have a happy team, everything is easy. We are super lucky.” He never makes his team feel like he’s the boss, he treats everyone with respect and takes the time to listen to the team members, their needs, and most importantly their goals. He still likes to wait on tables and works on the kitchen floor alongside the waiters. “I don’t just give instructions and do different things, I work side by side with my team.”
Abdullah’s passion for Turkish cuisine shines as he takes the time to tell me about the key differences between the offerings over at Emirgan Sutis and Hatay. “You know, Turkey is a big country, and different parts of the country have their own cuisines too. At Sutis, you get a flavor of the city of Istanbul. It even smells like Istanbul. Yet at Hatay, named after the city which is near the border with Syria, the style is definitely more country-like, more Arabic. More stews and sauces, yet Sutis is the best place for breakfast and desserts. The regular menu has kebabs and shawarma, where Hatay you’ll find more hearty dishes like the Salted Beef and Salted Chicken, which is always entertaining to see the staff crack open the salted shell to see the roasted meats inside, it is definitely more traditional.”
When I asked him about what he loves most about managing both concepts, he credits the authenticity of the food, and the staff preparing these dishes too. “I personally love the Kaymak, the fresh cream (Ashta or Gaymar) which we get straight from Turkey, and the Shawarma at Sutis. I think the shawarma we serve here is actually better than the one we have over in Istanbul! Over at Hatay, I always prefer the Salted Meat and the Iskander Kebab. Dessert is always a treat at both restaurants. Turkish cuisine is quite famous for its ice cream (Dondurma), and we call it Maraş ice cream as they play with it before giving it to the customer. Our ice cream chef is actually from the city of Maraş, known for this preparation. We do everything authentically, we actually travel to different villages in Turkey to see the most authentic preparation of our dishes and bring these traditional practices to both restaurants, and I love it.” Abdullah is always on the lookout for new talents to bring to both restaurants and relies on his connections back home to ensure that all the experiences at Hatay and Emirgan Sutis remain authentic.
Self-development and learning are a constant for Abdullah. He’s worked in hotels, on cruise ships, restaurants, and now operations, he speaks multiple languages and is never tired of the process. In fact, he values it. “I hope we see more of our restaurants across Kuwait, and in order to do that, I must always work on my own skills and learn new things.” He is extremely well-read in the world of Human Resources, self-development, and social psychology, and uses this knowledge in his day-to-day operations. He adds, “I love growing concepts, ideas, and humans. I’m always thinking long-term, and I love seeing staff members grow in their roles. I always tell my team that hard work and belief pay off if you do both. For example, seeing one of our hard-working waiters get promoted to supervisor. One of my team members here who used to be a waiter is now the operations manager for our sister restaurant Solia in Saudi. Growth makes me happy. I’m proud of my team and my dream is to see them all become successful in their roles. I worked really hard to grow our teams as individuals and my goal is to look back and be proud of my work.”
For more information, check out Emirgan Sutis and Hatay Sofrasi in Kuwait to get your taste of Turkish Hospitality at The Avenues, The Gate Mall and Murouj. Follow @Sutis_Kw and @HataySofrasi_Kw on Instagram for the latest updates!
Photography by Muneera AlKhuliafi, @I9ora on Instagram.
