What better way to celebrate August than with someone that captures the lightness and brightness of the summer months? Çisem Çakır is a raw food chef, writer and educator and Yeşilist recently spoke with her about her dietary principles, lifestyle approach and tips to leading a healthier and more energetic life in Turkey.
Yeşilist English: How did you first become interested in raw foods? Was it a creative or health endeavor?
Çisem Çakır: After nine months of working in architecture, interior design and product design studios in Istanbul and struggling with the injustices at work – particularly, the life-consuming environment, competitive coworkers and the most ego-centric and money-oriented bosses – I found myself in a situation in which I needed to choose my happiness over anything else. My father made an offer to me, which, literally, changed my life forever – he suggested that my brother and I work together in order to transform our family resort into a well-being destination. The idea intrigued me, and after meeting and hanging out with a few raw foodies shortly after moving to Bodrum, I was hooked on the idea.
First, I had to educate myself. I reserved my spot in well-being and raw food culinary schools in the U.S., which was at first intimidating, because I was not even a vegetarian at the time. But after just one month of living a raw lifestyle, something incredible happened. Never in my life did I feel such joy and energy, a sentiment that is not easy to describe – it has to be felt. Even though I had thought I was relatively healthy before embarking on this lifestyle, I most certainly was fooling myself, and the changes my body has gone through are testament to that.
