Hatay Grill Day: Kebab, Künefe and the Courtyard Table

The day starts mid-afternoon in a stone courtyard outside Yayladağı, with tea and a walk through the day's delivery: lamb, long peppers, flat bread and the sheep's milk cheese for künefe. Guests then work at long prep tables, learning how the meat is hand-chopped with a zırh, how kebab is packed onto flat skewers so it holds together, and how the coals are banked for even heat. Each guest grills their own skewers. While the lamb rests, künefe is assembled in copper pans and set over the fire. Everything then moves to one long table with mezze, salads and ayran, and the meal runs into the evening. Burak carves and serves at the table, and photographs are taken with each group before guests leave.