CznBurak: Dive into the best

Move over Salt Bae, internet star CznBurak is now in Dubai to warm our tummies with delicious cuisine.

The long-awaited Czn (pronounced Jezenen) Burak is officially opening its doors in Dubai today, making it its first branch in the UAE and the biggest restaurant in Downtown Dubai. A collaboration between Dives Holding and celebrity chef-restaurateur CznBurak, the timing couldn't be better as the country opens doors to tourism from across the globe. CznBurak, widely known on social media for viral videos featuring colossal food preparations, is launching his brand in Dubai.

In an exclusive preview to Metrolife, Dives Holding Chairman Rizgar Sak talks about the about the venture and his love for Dubai. 

   -->

    

Sak and Chef CznBurak

On the inception of Dives Holding

Sak has been involved in the F&B and carpet trading sector from an early age through the family business, which has been operating since the 1980s.

"My career started in 1995 as I took over the family business along with my siblings with a vision to grow it globally. We further expanded the family business, currently covering several sectors including real estate, general trading, logistics, hotel management and customer service.

Sak founded Dives Holding in 2020 as the chairman with a mission of establishing the brand's presence as one of the leading F&B companies in Dubai, and eventually the entire GCC, a key market for Dives Holding and CznBurak brand. His vast experience in the hospitality sector fuelled his competitiveness and drive to establish Dives Holding as one of the key players in the region.

The Chairman adds: "Dives Holding is a corporate conglomerate with visions and goals. At the moment, we are working with CznBurak. We want to move forward and become bigger and we want to go as global as possible. We started with Dubai. For us, being successful in Dubai is very important."

He continued: "There is a very strong competition in the F&B sector in Dubai as there are many strong brands in the city. One of our goals is to compete with the big brands, show them that we are capable of competing and capable of succeeding. If we manage to succeed in Dubai, we will manage to succeed everywhere. I believe Dubai is the hub for the best F&B hotspots in the world."

Sak presses on: "To enter the global F&B sector, the best step to take is from Dubai. Post that, we will start reaching our goals by starting other projects globally. We trust our brand Dives Holding. CznBurak was already a well-known brand name before it left for Dubai with us. As a team and a corporate company, we are taking him to the next level and we aim to take the brand CznBurak that extra mile."

What makes CznBurak different

Dubai holds the record for the best, biggest, longest and tallest in the world, Sak exclaims excitedly.

"Dives Holding saw all these great things that are synonymous with Dubai and it brings to you the best Turkish cuisine to Dubai. CznBurak is one of the biggest restaurants in the city and the biggest in Downtown Dubai. We have seen in Dubai that there is a gap to meet the demand for huge portions of food and CznBurak is synonymous to huge portions and the best food.

"In Burak's kitchen, the team puts their soul in the food. The food promises to be memorabilia for all those who visit. We believe that when you tear your hot bread, your fingers should burn; the heat must rise from the food; and you must dance with the food. I believe that food is a living organism."

Sak adds on: "Lastly, it's CznBurak himself. He is a very tall person, has the widest smile and is loved by kids and elderly alike. His infectious smile and the positive vibe are an attraction. The celebrity chef is not only a great cook, but he is also a philanthropist. He loves helping people and is always around them. As Dives Holding, we share his passion and commitment. We want to support him. Talks are underway to allocate a budget to support Burak's CSR activities that could include setting up a well in Africa, or supporting a school or a mosque. We also want to support small towns and cities with vaccination efforts as we fight the pandemic together."

Sak personally has been involved in many philanthropic projects, using the companies as a platform to promote awareness towards creating a more socially conscious business model, with an emphasis on education by supporting high potential students with scholarships, in addition to regular food donations to several charity organisations.

A family-first approach in business

For Sak, his team is his extended family. He reiterates: "We are in a corporate setting but underneath that we are all the same. No one is above anyone else. Burak is my little brother and I believe the only way we will be successful as a team is by walking together."

He points out that CznBurak and he had a great camaraderie right from the time they met, which was less than a year ago. "Burak has a great personality and everybody wants to work with him. After we met for the first time, within an hour we shook hands and signed a contract for partnership to open this new restaurant the next day. We have a vision and goal for CznBurak. We believe in each other and therefore we are together."

About CznBurak

Situated on the prestigious Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, the location offers both indoor and outdoor dining experiences with the Burj Khalifa as its backdrop.

Dives Holding wanted to start an F&B business in Dubai with CznBurak. Sak said that they opened the biggest restaurant in town in a record four months' time amid the pandemic. "It wasn't easy but we did it. It's an achievement. Now we are working with social-distance norms in place, and at the same time, making sure that everything served is the best."

With a seating capacity of 600, which can be expanded up to 1,200 after the Covid-19 era, CznBurak serves authentic Middle Eastern and Turkish cuisine and bespoke beverages created by a team of internationally acclaimed mixologists. The brand in Dubai alone has employed 26 different nationalities serving in the restaurant.

"Our motto is 'The Greatest Bond is Love'. We visualise Dives Holding as a global brand," Sak says.

     

Final words

"One of our goals is not to 'dive' into something else until we open CznBurak in Dubai full-fledged. We have given all our focus and energy to our restaurant." 

Fast Five with Rizgar Sak

For more information, e-mail: gokhang@cznburak.com