There’s a word in Turkish that I love: Usta (ooh-stah). It means expert, master, highly skilled. It speaks of years of labor, love of craft, and an earned respect from fellow craftsmen. It has less to do with formal education and more to do with experience, with apprenticeship, with the who and the origin. It can be applied to a range of occupations from coppersmiths to cobblers to chefs. Wherever you encounter this term, however, you can be sure of a quality product, a quality service, and if you're lucky, maybe even a good story to go with your experience!

I had heard about İbrahim Usta for years. Most of the time he was referred to as "the hummus guy" in Antakya. This was generally accompanied by a slightly glazed look and some unintentional drooling from those who had visited his shop. It was always understood among my expat friends that one could not visit Antakya without getting some hummus from İbrahim Usta. But for having lived in Adana as long as I have, I had never driven the 2.5 hours down to Antakya to get some for myself. Until this past March. Some friends came in town and we thought it would be fun to drive down for a couple of days with them.

Of course, stop number one was his hummus place. We almost missed it walking down the sidewalk, it is so small. The faded sign along the edge of the door advertises "Hummus and Bakla," a mashed bean-based dish made with garlic and olive oil popular further south. By the time we drove into town it was early evening, and he was starting to close up shop. The six of us barely fit in his little shop but he warmly welcomed us in as his wife poked her head out from the back kitchen, and busily started arranging a table and chairs.

He recommended a combination of hummus and bakla plates, and went to work preparing it for us. As he hand-mashed the garlic and the bakla, he proudly talked about the quality of the ingredients he uses, the different types of hummus and quantities he sells, and the old copper pot he cooks the bakla beans in overnight. While we watched him prepare our dishes, multiple people walked by and greeted him through the door. He assured us that if we needed anything at all during our stay he would be happy to help us out. He smiled as he said "I know everyone, and everyone knows me!"

We found out that he is of Arab Orthodox background, and went to live in Lebanon for 10 years, where he learned how to make the hummus and bakla. He has owned his shop in Antakya for 35 years and he and his family run the business together. He also told us he is a part of an organization that seeks to promote traditional Turkish cuisine all over the world, and that he travels frequently to do demonstrations. This past January he was in New York doing a presentation, and overall he has been to 20 different countries through the years demonstrating various Turkish dishes. Still, for all his traveling, all his responsibilities, this humble little shop on the corner is what he comes back to every time—serving the best hummus in Antakya to its people.

Now that I've met İbrahim Usta, I have unapologetically become one of the glazed-eye enthusiasts of his hummus and bakla craft. The years of experience, the story of his education and livelihood, and even his friendly character, well-known and respected in his community, make up all the aspects of that term usta that draws me in. For the traveler visiting Antakya, I would say his place is a must-stop. I've already been back once and hope to many more times.

Antakya: The Best Hummus and Bakla

To our friends in the West, keep looking East!

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