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Eren Kasikci, the winner of MasterChef Türkiye's 2021 season, was found dead at his home in Istanbul's Kilyos district after relatives had been unable to reach him since the previous day.
Medical teams confirmed that the 37-year-old chef had died, while the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into what authorities described as a suspicious death.
Kasikci's body was taken to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute, where an examination will be carried out to establish the exact cause of death.
Kasikci's wife reportedly became concerned after repeatedly calling him without receiving a response. She then contacted a family friend in Istanbul and asked him to check on the chef.
After receiving no answer at the door, the friend alerted the gendarmerie, Türkiye's law enforcement service responsible for many rural and semi-rural areas, as well as medical teams.
Emergency crews entered the property and found Kasikci unresponsive in the bedroom. Initial checks confirmed that he had died.
A separate media account discussing details from the scene claimed that Kasikci's hand appeared to be extended toward medication placed on a bedside table. However, authorities have not announced a cause of death, and the investigation remains underway.
Born in Kirikkale in 1989 and originally from the northern province of Tokat, Kasikci was married and had one daughter.
He studied tourism at Ondokuz Mayis University but did not complete the program. He later received professional culinary training at a private cooking school between 2012 and 2013.
Kasikci built his experience working in the kitchens of several Istanbul hotels before moving to the Aegean island of Gokceada, where he became head chef at a surf hotel.
He gained nationwide recognition after taking part in MasterChef Türkiye and winning the competition in 2021. He later returned to the television franchise for its All Star and Altin Kupa competitions.
Known by the nickname "Kizil Sakal," meaning "Red Beard," Kasikci developed a following for his disciplined approach and flavor-focused dishes.
Following his MasterChef victory, Kasikci returned to Istanbul and set up his own restaurant brand, Kizil Sakal Sandwich & Burger.
He had recently been working to expand the business and was preparing to open a new branch in Pendik's Kurtkoy district. People close to him said he had been keeping up an intensive work schedule while overseeing the preparations.
Kasikci had reportedly last visited the restaurant two days before he was found dead.
Following his death, an earlier comment about the name of his daughter, Maya, was widely shared again on social media.
When asked whether the name came from his work with bread, Kasikci had said, "Everyone knows that I work closely with bread, but maya actually means existence. Nothing can exist without maya."
A funeral ceremony for Kasikci is scheduled to take place after afternoon prayers at Yenidogan Cemevi on Friday.
Following the ceremony, Kasikci's body will be taken to his family's home province of Tokat for burial.
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