Born in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 1991, Ayşin Akgün Ertürk graduated with a degree in environmental engineering. Despite her knack for numbers, her true passion lies in the culinary arts, which took root during her childhood.
Amidst her peers' pursuit of conventional education, Ayşin chose to study environmental engineering at Yıldız Technical University, although her heart leaned toward culinary arts. During her second year at university, she embarked on an Erasmus program in Prague. Over six transformative months, she traversed Europe, exploring diverse cultures and savoring an array of cuisines, amplifying her affection for gastronomy. Upon her return, Ayşin contemplated abandoning engineering to pursue culinary school. Despite this fervor, she persevered, completing her engineering degree before embarking on her culinary journey. Commencing her career as a project engineer prior to her university graduation, she subsequently pursued a master's degree in environmental engineering at Istanbul Technical University. Later, an enticing offer from a company in Vienna beckoned, propelling her into a trajectory of project and R&D engineering. Amidst this journey, she also seized the chance to contribute to the Vienna wastewater treatment plant.
Following her stint as a treatment plant design engineer, Ayşin forged her own path, founding an R&D company. Her mission was to infuse global treatment technologies into local problem-solving. Simultaneously, her culinary fervor reignited. Winning a culinary scholarship from Kadirhas University and the Culinary Institute, Ayşin bridged cultural gaps as she assisted foreign students and chefs, honing her skills in both Turkish and French cuisine.
Her tenure as a sustainable kitchen project specialist at Gastronometro saw Ayşin championing eco-conscious culinary endeavors. Collaborating with Michelin-starred chefs on VIP meals deepened her experience. While briefly revisiting engineering, her resolute ardor remains at the nexus of engineering and gastronomy. She aspires to unite these domains globally, perceiving food as a universal language that connects cultures and lives worldwide.
Now married and a mother herself, Ayşin's ambitions extend towards cultivating personal growth and broadening her daughter's world perspective through participation in multinational projects. Her conviction centers on equitable resource utilization, particularly nutrition. Ayşin envisions a more sustainable and fair food system by tackling food waste and redistributing excess to those in need. This utopian perspective, dismissed by some, is Ayşin's unwavering passion—one she refuses to relinquish.