What happened?

The Döner Kebab has become a staple by now. Juicy Kebab meat in a warm Pide, served with all kinds of vegetables, and topped by a plethora of sauces, as spicy as you please. Who could say no? For many Germans, these foods are their first and biggest insight into presumably Turkish culture. Going back to Istanbul, however, we see a different picture.

A Döner Kebab as we know it may be strange over there. Putting Kebab meat into a traditionally Ramadan bread, rather than rice? At the same time, the Kebab meat we know has become more of a giant burger than the traditional mutton rotisserie. Why so many different vegetables? Finished off not with yogurt, but with all kinds of sauces and spicy condiments. This is not Turkish food anymore. What happened?

While introducing Kebab dishes to Germany, chefs and store-owners had to make choices. On one hand, being different makes dishes exciting, yet it cannot be too different. And since ethnic Germans could afford more, dishes naturally gravitate towards their preferences. The Döner was portrayed as exotic, foreign, and ethnic. Simple marketing targeted towards Germans slowly paved the way for minor changes to the Döner Kebab. The changes were too miniscule to notice, but created something new along the way. The dish, adapted to the German (maybe even European) palate, is now ready to become one of the most popular fast foods in Germany and even in Europe. Even now, many do not realise the influence they have on shaping what is perceived as Turkish cuisine.