Turkish Michelin-starred chef Maksut Aşkar opens café and bakery 'O' in Fenix

09-04-2025

Fenix has asked star chef Maksut Aşkar to introduce his Anatolian cuisine in the Netherlands. Aşkar runs the 'World's 50' best-recognised restaurant neolokal in Istanbul. In Rotterdam, he will open O, a café and bakery with artisan bread to-go, on 16 May.

Diversity of Anatolia

The menu is inspired by street food and family recipes that have been passed down for generations in Anatolia. Many Turkish migrants to the Netherlands come from this region, which lies at the crossroads between Central Asia, the Balkans and the Middle East. O is located in Fenix's atrium and open to everyone, even without a ticket to the museum.

O is the shortest and most commonly used word in Turkish and means: he, she, it or those. With that, the term O represents every person, every story, every identity. O embraces the diversity of Anatolia, a region where cultures, flavours and traditions converge. From the popular dessert şekerpare to baklava with a twist, and from the popular pide to the soft flatbread bazlama. Aşkar serves an accessibly priced menu at Fenix with dishes that have been passed down for generations. Centuries-old culinary traditions are presented by Aşkar in a contemporary way.

Maksut Aşkar

In 2014, Maksut Aşkar opened his restaurant neolokal in Istanbul's SALT Galata Museum. In 2015, Aşkar was named Best Chef of the Year by Time Out Magazine. Since its opening, neolokal has received numerous awards. In 2023, 2024 and 2025, it was awarded a Michelin star as well as a Michelin Green Star in Turkey. In addition, neolokal received four chef's hats from Gault & Millau in 2024 and 2025, was named 'Restaurant of the Year' (2024) and Maksut Aşkar was honoured as 'Best International Successful Chef' by Gault & Millau in 2025. The Best Chef Awards also recognised his talent in 2024 with two knives.

Michelin-starred restaurant owner and chef Maksut Aşkar: ''With O, we pay tribute to the migrants who, in addition to their courage to travel to a new land, brought their flavours, culinary traditions and cooking techniques with them. O is inspired by the large Turkish community that found a new home in Rotterdam. I see it as a great opportunity to share the wealth of dishes and ingredients from Anatolia with the wide audience that Fenix will reach.''

Anne Kremers, director Fenix: ''With his cuisine, Aşkar shows how flavours travel the world through migration and can change through time and distance. Whereas in the exhibitions we tell stories about migration through art, in O Maksut does so through his dishes.''

Café & Bakery

In the museum café, guests will find sandwiches, mezze and main dishes born from the melting pot of cultures that Anatolia is known for. From sumptuous breakfasts served with fresh cheeses, olives, honey, herbs and homemade jams to ultimate comfort food like lentil soup or smoky aubergine. The bakery focuses on several ancient grains such as Sarı Kılçık, Kara Kılçık and Siyez. With these, Aşkar bakes numerous artisanal breads and delicacies that can also be taken away as to-go at Fenix. The bakery also offers more widely known snacks such as simit, börek or ayran.