Lakerda is a London-based, Istanbul-inspired, and quintessentially Mediterranean “meyhane”, “pub”, “tavern”, “ouzeria” of ideas… So, choose your table (or proposal) and do not hesitate to join the “company” where you can learn, observe, taste, enjoy, share, contribute, discover and co-produce!
mains
Taste and Play
Distinguished by its fresh and exciting approach to freelance journalism, Lakerda provides written and visual content, and consultancy in football and culinary culture
Lakerda’s mission is to produce well-structured content about food and football culture. Thanks to our extensive network of key players within the industry and unmatched knowledge of its culture and history, Lakerda is able to offer invaluable know-how and advice on everything niche about culinary and football culture.
Areas of Consultancy
- Research on the history and culture of food and football
- Collaboration between various mediums, culinary academies, and agents.
- Producing comprehensive and institution-based reports and projects for entrepreneurs in relevant sectors.
- Developing concepts and providing value-adding advisory work for the hospitality sector.
Istanbul Elsewhere: Pop-up Meyhane with Tan Morgül
The Pop-up Meyhane event is a celebration of Istanbul's "joie de vivre" and one of its gems, meyhanes. Their stories will be told once (maybe twice) in venues dressed as meyhanes in London (or elsewhere).
The Pop-up Meyhane is part of a wider project entitled #istanbulelsewhere...The aim is to introduce the culture of Istanbulites to the world. The project will concentrate on Istanbulites rather than Istanbul itself.
So stay tuned!
Tan is the author of an award-winning food culture book “Raki and Fish: A Mediterranean Seafood Odyssey” published in English in 2014, and “Istanbul Meyhaneleri ve Balik Restoranlari Rehberi” (2010, Meyhanes and Fish Restaurants of Istanbul) with Ulus Atayurt. His contributions to the other book projects include Raki Encyclopaedia (2011, Istanbul) and Gastronomy of Raki (2017, Istanbul). In addition to that, he was a co-founder, director and contributor of the first beer culture magazine in Turkey, B:ra (beer).
What is meyhane?
Joie de Vivre - A History of Istanbul Meyhanes
Tan Morgul - Yavuz Sac
“ (...) The witty Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi provides the meyhane map of the 17th century Istanbul, and especially Galata(...) According to Evliya, who coined the phrase “Galata means meyhane” and his contemporary Eremya Çelebi Kömürciyan, there were roughly 200 meyhanes in 17th century Galata. The most popular among these were Mihaliki, Konstandi, Sarandi, Kefeli, Keskoval, and Sürmeli.
(...)
Some meyhanes were simply known as “factories” because they brewed their own Duziko (an anise based drink similar to rakı), liqueur, and cognac. As they kept these in barrels or clay jars, they were sometimes referred to as “barreled” or “jarred” meyhanes.
The first descriptions of inside the meyhane also date back to the 17th century. According to these, on a typical meyhane counter you would see wine glasses and carafe lined up, plates of bean salad with chopped onions and parsley, and dried chickpeas for customers who only wanted a quick one. However, the indispensible meze in every meyhane is the salted sardines, brought from Lesbos or Malta, and resting inside the huge barrel that sat at the foot of the central column.”
