Honorary Degrees
Honorary degrees and fellows of 2011
Hüseyin Özer
Doctor of Letters
Hüseyin Özer is a Turkish restaurateur and chef. Born in Tokat, Turkey in 1949 Huseyin has no formal education. From the age of eleven Huseyin found himself a homeless child in Ankara undertaking jobs in restaurants, cafés and bars. In 1967 at the age of 18 Hüseyin moved to Instanbul where he began working two jobs, on a building site and in a restaurant, using the money he earned to pay for English lessons. At this time he also set up the Hüseyin Özer Education Trust, based in his home town.
Following his National Service, Hüseyin moved to London in 1975 to continue learning English whilst working in a Kebab shop in Mayfair. In 1979 he opened his first kebab shop in Chiswick increasing the business threefold; he went on to purchase the Mayfair restaurant in 1981. Over the years Hüseyin has owned restaurants and cafés in up to twenty locations in Central London. However his focus is now on the five restaurants Özer and Sofra; he runs across the capital promoting good food and Turkish hospitality. They are the only Turkish restaurants to be recommended in the Michelin Guide.
Hüseyin also has an ongoing commitment to education, The Hüseyin Özer Education Trust, is now a Foundation supported by The Sofra Group. In addition Hüseyin works with students to create restaurant entrepreneurs in conjunction with Middlesex University teaching the practical skills required to open a successful restaurant.
Among other things Hüseyin has contributed to the Turkish-English Chamber Of Commerce, has been featured in a Discovery Channel documentary about his life and in 1998 he published the Sofra Cookbook.
