Salt Bae criticised by animal rights group PETA for his meat-heavy menu

Salt Bae has made a name for himself since he received the meme treatment on his unique seasoning method back in 2017, now he’s a global household name thanks to his renowned chain of extravagant steakhouses, Nusr-Et Steakhouse.

All this to say, Salt Bae is perhaps as closely linked to steak and meat more than anyone else can relate.

The 38-year-old’s, whose real name is Nusret Gökçe, love of meat not only defines him but it’s what put him on the map in the first place, and frankly, he’d be nowhere without it.

But not all feedback on Gökçe has been positive. Since launching his restaurant in London many flocked to the reviews to share their terrible experience at the overpriced location.

So it’s understandable and almost expected that the Turkish restaurateur would ruffle some feathers along the way, specifically from animal rights organizations such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (a.k.a PETA).

PETA is one of the loudest voices in advocating for the rights of animals to be treated with the same compassion as humans. So it comes as no surprise that PETA isn’t the biggest fan of Salt Bae, and in fact, believes he should “sprinkle some compassion onto his dishes” instead of his go-to seasoning.

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Dawn Carr, director of vegan corporate projects at PETA, told LADbible that Gökçe's 'extortionate' prices are not a valid distraction from the reality of what he serves on others’ plates.

"Perhaps news that top chef Marco Pierre White will soon be serving vegan steaks in his restaurants will strike a match under Nusret Gökçe and inspire him to sprinkle some compassion onto his dishes,” Carr said.

She added, "Even the extortionate prices can't distract from the reality of what – or rather who – is on his menus. Cows don’t want to die for our meals, and raising animals to eat them is an environmental disaster.”

"The most exquisite restaurants, state-of-the-art Michelin-starred chefs, and sophisticated consumers know that when it comes to animals, human health, and the future of the planet, decadent vegan foods – of which there are plenty – are always the finest choice,” Carr concluded.

Despite PETA’s brutal remarks on Salt Bae, it’d be hard to imagine him going vegan anytime soon, though it will be interesting to see how and if he responds.