Zeynep Hande Delibalta is the chef and owner of Mipale Kitchen in Istanbul.

She first stepped into the food industry in Canada while completing her Master’s in Marketing, working part-time in restaurants. After returning to Turkey and gaining corporate experience in her field, she founded her own organic food business, which she still runs today.

Following hands-on experience managing a restaurant, she opened Mipale four years ago — which soon became recognized as a Slow Food restaurant, celebrating local and sustainable dining.

A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Zeynep now leads Mipale Kitchen with a focus on local, organic ingredients and a passion for honest, flavorful cuisine.