Salt Bae Net Worth

What is Salt Bae's Net Worth?

Salt Bae is a Turkish chef and restaurateur who has a net worth of $20 million. Real name, Nusret Gökçe, Salt Bae's distinctive method of preparing and seasoning meat turned him into an Internet meme in 2017. Once the face of a global luxury dining empire that spanned from Dubai to New York, Gökçe parlayed a 36-second meme into dozens of steakhouses under his Nusr-Et brand. In recent years, his empire has been hit by mounting losses, lawsuits, and reports of toxic working conditions, raising questions about the sustainability of his rapid rise to fame.

Early Life

Nusret Gökçe was born in 1983 in Paşalı, Erzurum Province, Turkey, into a Kurdish family. He has four siblings, and his father, Faik, was a mineworker. The family's poor finances forced Gökçe to leave school in the sixth grade, after which time he became a butcher's apprentice in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul. Growing up in poverty, he later said he wore hand-me-down clothes "two sizes too big" and worked long hours in butcher shops to support his family — a far cry from the luxury lifestyle he would later flaunt on social media.

Restaurateur Career

After leaving school to become a butcher's apprentice, Nusret Gökçe spent years honing his craft in Istanbul's meat markets. Determined to learn global butchery and fine-dining techniques, he spent the late 2000s traveling through Argentina and the United States, where he worked in steakhouses for free just to observe and train. He later said these experiences taught him how to combine traditional Turkish grilling with South American steakhouse presentation and flair.

In 2010, Gökçe opened his first restaurant, Nusr-Et Steakhouse, in Istanbul's Etiler neighborhood. The concept blended high-end cuts of beef with dramatic tableside carving and showmanship. The restaurant quickly attracted local celebrities and wealthy diners, establishing Gökçe as a rising figure in Turkey's luxury dining scene. Four years later, he opened a second location in Dubai, giving the Nusr-Et brand its first major international footprint and introducing the over-the-top presentation style that would later define his global empire.

After his viral fame in 2017, Gökçe embarked on a rapid international expansion. He opened restaurants in glamorous cities, including Miami, New York, London, Beverly Hills, Dallas, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Mykonos, and Las Vegas. Each branch became a social-media destination known for theatrical service, sky-high prices, and gold–leaf–covered steaks. By the early 2020s, the Nusr-Et group operated more than 30 restaurants worldwide. Despite mixed critical reviews, the brand became synonymous with luxury excess—an experience built as much on performance and Instagram moments as on cuisine.

Gökçe's business empire also included high-value real estate investments. In 2019, he purchased Istanbul's historic Maçka Palas building—home to the Park Hyatt hotel—for around £42 million, converting the penthouse into his private residence. He also acquired villas in Mykonos and Ibiza, as well as a growing portfolio of commercial dining properties across Europe and the Middle East.

Internet Meme

In January 2017, Nusret Gökçe became a global phenomenon thanks to a short video posted on his restaurant's Instagram account titled "Ottoman Steak." In the clip, Gökçe sliced a steak with precision and flair before sprinkling salt in a now-iconic gesture: dropping it from his fingertips, letting the grains cascade down his forearm, and onto the meat below. The dramatic flourish—combined with his slicked-back hair, dark sunglasses, and tight white T-shirt—was unlike anything the culinary world had seen.

Within days, the video went viral after singer Bruno Mars shared it on Twitter, racking up more than 10 million views almost overnight. Gökçe was quickly christened "Salt Bae," a nickname that merged his signature seasoning move with Internet slang for affection or admiration. The meme catapulted him to international celebrity status, turning a Turkish restaurateur into a pop-culture icon virtually overnight.

Celebrities and athletes soon flocked to his restaurants to film their own "Salt Bae" moments. Guests have included Leonardo DiCaprio, David Beckham, Drake, Lionel Messi, Naomi Campbell, and even heads of state. Gökçe capitalized on the viral exposure by transforming himself into a global brand—appearing in advertisements, collaborating with luxury companies, and growing his Instagram following to more than 50 million.

The "Salt Bae" meme also permanently changed the marketing landscape for restaurants, proving that a viral social media moment could launch a multimillion-dollar hospitality empire. Yet, while his signature pose brought fame and fortune, it also came to symbolize the fine line between spectacle and self-parody—a dynamic that continues to define both Gökçe's career and public persona.

(Photo by Laurent KOFFEL/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Critical Reception

Despite his viral success, Gökçe has earned largely negative reviews for his steakhouse chain. In 2018, his New York City steakhouse was roundly panned by critics, who called it mundane, over-salted, and overpriced. However, reviewers have been relatively more positive about the restaurants' entertainment value, asserting that it works as dinner theater as long as "Salt Bae is in the house."

Controversies

As Nusret Gökçe's fame and fortune grew, so did the controversies surrounding his restaurants, his behavior toward staff, and his public persona. Former employees, critics, and even international media have accused him of cultivating a toxic workplace culture, promoting vulgar excess, and letting his fame cloud his judgment.

In 2019, four former employees from his New York restaurant sued Gökçe and his company, alleging that management withheld tips and fired staff who complained. A former bartender later filed a separate discrimination lawsuit claiming she was told to wear "short skirts and revealing tops" to better fit the brand's image. That case was moved to private arbitration in 2023. Other lawsuits have involved unpaid overtime and wrongful termination claims at his U.S. restaurants, while employees in London and Dubai have described grueling work conditions and an intimidating, image-obsessed atmosphere. Gökçe's attorneys have dismissed these accusations as "meritless claims targeting a successful brand."

In late 2023, reports suggested that his U.S. operations were in financial distress. Of seven American Nusr-Et locations once operating in Miami, New York, Beverly Hills, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Boston, only two reportedly remain open. Filings showed combined losses of more than £5 million, raising questions about whether his rapid expansion had outpaced sustainable demand.

Several incidents have also damaged his reputation. In 2018, videos surfaced of Gökçe personally serving Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro at his Istanbul restaurant during a period of widespread famine and political crisis in Venezuela. Outrage erupted online and outside his Miami branch, with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio condemning him for "feeding a dictator while Venezuelans starved." The backlash forced Gökçe to delete the videos and issue an apology.

His public antics continued to draw criticism. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final in Qatar, Gökçe bypassed security to join Argentina's victory celebration on the field. He grabbed players, posed for photos, and even handled the World Cup trophy—something explicitly prohibited by FIFA rules. Footage of Lionel Messi visibly trying to avoid him went viral, prompting FIFA to open an investigation and temporarily suspend his VIP access at future events. Gökçe later claimed he was "carried away by the excitement," but many saw it as a sign of hubris from a man enthralled by his own celebrity.

Charity

Involved in some charitable endeavors, Gökçe built a school in his home province of Erzurum. He has also reportedly built a library, guest house, mosque, and English education center there, among other facilities.

Finances & Real Estate

Although Nusret Gökçe has cultivated an image of immense personal wealth, much of his real estate portfolio appears closely tied to his business partnerships and restaurant holdings rather than private purchases. His most high-profile property is the historic Maçka Palas building in Istanbul, home to the five-star Park Hyatt Istanbul hotel. The property was acquired in 2019 for roughly £42 million (around $50 million), but Turkish business records and press coverage indicate the deal was carried out through the Nusr-Et Group and its investors, including billionaire Ferit Şahenk's Doğuş Group, rather than by Gökçe personally. The building functions as both a commercial flagship for his brand and as his primary residence, with a penthouse featuring a rooftop pool, spa, and sweeping views of the Bosphorus.

Outside of Turkey, Gökçe owns or controls several luxury properties in resort destinations tied to his restaurant network. On the Greek island of Mykonos, he purchased a villa for about £1.8 million and later spent close to £850,000 on renovations. The home doubles as a personal retreat and promotional outpost near his Nusr-Et Mykonos location.

In 2023, he invested—again likely through his hospitality group—in a large residential and dining development on the Spanish island of Ibiza. The project includes high-end apartments, underground parking, and multiple restaurants, one expected to be a new Nusr-Et branch. Early listings for the residential units were priced at about £1.5 million each, though Gökçe's company reportedly intends to retain ownership of the commercial sections.

He also spends time in Dubai and Miami, where he owns smaller residences near his restaurants. His lifestyle includes a collection of Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari, a private jet, and a speedboat docked along the Bosphorus—assets that, like his properties, appear intertwined with his business empire. While Gökçe has become known for flaunting the trappings of extreme wealth, much of what he occupies or displays seems to serve both personal indulgence and brand marketing for the global Nusr-Et chain.

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