22.10.2026 12:30
Gizem Direk, 20, who lives in Gaziantep, learned the profession by watching her masters at the business she joined as a busboy at the age of 15 to earn pocket money, and became a döner master. Although her family and circle did not support her, saying it was a "man's job," Direk did not give up, and she said that female customers are very pleased to see a woman at the counter.
The 20-year-old young woman living in Gaziantep became a döner master in the job she started as a kitchen assistant at the age of 15.
Gizem Direk, a 20-year-old living in Gaziantep, entered working life when she was only 15 and started working as a kitchen assistant at a business. Direk, who initially started working only to earn pocket money, over time began to take an interest in the döner profession. Carefully watching the masters working at the business, Direk began learning the job by stepping behind the counter whenever she had free time. Direk, whose responsibilities gradually increased in the job she started as a kitchen assistant, learned many stages, from preparing döner to arranging the counter, by watching her masters. Spending more time at the counter as she gained experience, Direk quickly learned to cut and prepare döner and reached the level of mastery. The young woman, who works at a intense pace to keep up with customers' orders, both shows that women can take an active part in working life and contributes to the family economy with the income she earns.
HER FAMILY AND CIRCLE CALLED IT A MAN'S JOB
Gizem Direk, who said she became a döner master in a profession where she was not supported because it was called a man's job, said, 'I started as a kitchen assistant at the workplace I entered at the age of 15 to earn my pocket money. Because I both loved my job very much and was very curious, I watched the masters. I learned how to put on döner, cut it, and every detail of the work from them. Later I moved to the counter, watched my masters while learning the packaging work, and then became a döner master.'
Direk, who said her family and circle opposed it, saying that döner making was a man's job, used the following statements: 'Customers who see me are generally very surprised. Especially our female customers say as soon as they enter, how nice it is to see a woman at the counter, and this gives me honor. I become very happy and my energy fills up. My family first said that this was a man's job. Those around me did not support me in any way either. I said that I could do it. Because we women can do everything whenever we want, and we do everything very well.'
THE SECRET OF QUALITY DÖNER IS IN ITS FAT
Stating that the quality of döner can be understood from its fat and juices, Direk said, 'We can understand the quality of döner from its fat and juices. Its most delicious form is its fatty form. Lean döner becomes very dry and tasteless. In short, if fat flows from the döner you cut, that döner is both high quality and very delicious.'