Nizar Akram Elkharrat

Nizar learned how to cook from his mother, whom he calls his first teacher in life. He’s had a varied and multi-faceted career, working in hotels, restaurants, residential supply, humanitarian aid work, and even as an actor. Nizar was born in Damascus, Syria, but also lived in Cairo for a time. He moved to Turkey in 2014, where he heads the Syrian Community in Istanbul, a volunteer organization.

After moving to Turkey, Nizar excelled in cooking — in part because he lived alone and had to cook for himself. He wants to open a catering business and is particularly passionate about helping Syrian women find their footing in their own food businesses. He also works as an export manager for a Syrian and Turkish company and continues to act in television shows.