Kebab legend Yüksel Dogan: Farewell to the Alaturka image!

Kebab legend Yüksel Dogan: Farewell to the Alaturka image!

Yüksel Dogan, the defining figure behind the renowned kebab shop Alaturka in Stuttgart, has retired from the company's operational activities after 32 years in the business. He officially announced his retirement in January 2024. Nevertheless, his face remains in the Alaturka logo and he continues to be featured prominently in an advertising film on the store's homepage. Despite his withdrawal, many customers continue to ask whether he still works at the snack bar on Olgastrasse. Dogan has clearly communicated that he no longer wants to be the face of Alaturka, although his presence remains unmistakable, not least thanks to the neon sign that advertises him as a “Stuttgart Original” and promotes the motto “Enjoy in Anatolian”.

The kebab bistro Alaturka has not only earned an excellent reputation in Stuttgart, but was recently named the best kebab in Germany by Big 7 Travel. This is further proof of the high quality that Dogan puts into its products. He personally selects all the ingredients and visits the wholesale market every day at 6 a.m. He also manages to create outstanding taste experiences through loving attention to detail in the preparation. Dogan himself layers the kebab skewers, which weigh up to 100 kilograms and are made from regional beef entrecôte.

The philosophy behind Alaturka

For Dogan, kebab is more than just fast food - he sees it as a complete meal. Among other things, Alaturka has been offering various types of vegetables in kebabs for 30 years, including grilled carrots, eggplants, beans and potatoes. The price for the standard kebab version is 6.90 euros. Even though Dogan has no classical culinary training, he learned all of his skills from his mother and thus passes on the knowledge of traditional preparation methods.

Dogan, who came to Germany in 1979 as a guest worker, initially started with a vegetable business before deciding to open Alaturka after testing high-quality meat. The band Antiheld even mentioned Alaturka in their song lyrics, giving the restaurant further cultural standing. Dogan is proud of the diversity of his guests, who are not only Turkish, but also from other nations and older generations.

Future plans and expansion

Although Yüksel Dogan has retired from day-to-day operations, he plans to expand Alaturka in other cities. However, the specific details of the expansion have not yet been determined. Dogan wants Alaturka to stand out from other kebab stalls, which have often experimented with extravagances in recent years. His philosophy emphasizes the quality and tradition of the food.

Alaturka remains an important part of the Stuttgart gastronomy scene, not least because of Dogan's tireless commitment and his philosophy, which stands for the value of his work even without numerous awards. Despite the numerous challenges he has encountered throughout his career, he considers his integration into society and the success of his team to be his greatest achievements.