This just in: Salt Bae’s steak show flops—UK diners say “no thanks” to overpriced hype, £5.4M loss, five restaurants gone

By Irman Connor | Economy Watch

Salt Bae, the Turkish butcher turned meme lord, has officially lost his flavour in the UK. His Nusr-Et steakhouse empire posted a staggering £5.4 million loss, shuttering five restaurants amid a global downsizing. Once the darling of Instagram, Nusret Gökçe built his brand on a viral 2017 video—slicing steak with flair and sprinkling salt down his forearm like a cobra. Theatrics drew in celebrities like David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, but behind the gold leaf and glitzy photo ops, the food itself couldn’t hold the spotlight.

Critics and diners alike have slammed the experience as overpriced and underwhelming. A £1,450 gold-covered steak? £50 for a burger? Even mashed potatoes cost £12. Reviews on TripAdvisor and Google paint a grim picture: “overcooked and oversalted” meat, “rude staff,” and a “vibeless business lounge” ambience. 

The London flagship, once buzzing with influencers, now battles one-star ratings and dwindling footfall. The hype that once made Salt Bae a household name has soured into a cautionary tale—proof that viral fame doesn’t guarantee culinary credibility.

So what went wrong? Salt Bae’s empire was built on spectacle, not substance. The salt-sprinkling pose became iconic, but the food didn’t live up to the theatrics. As energy bills soared and celebrity visits dried up, the illusion cracked. 

Londoners, once dazzled by the meme, have seemingly woken up to the reality: no amount of wrist-flicking can justify a £680 striploin. The gold leaf had no taste, and now, neither does the brand. Salt Bae may still be worth millions personally, but his restaurant’s reputation? That’s been left to marinate in disappointment.

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