Ana Sortun

Chef Sortun shares dishes that reflect exciting flavors from the Mediterranean.

 

 

Chef Ana Sortun

Specialty: Mediterranean fusion

It might be somewhat unexpected for a Norwegian-American to open a Turkish-inspired restaurant, but over the years, chef Ana Sortun has proved it's possible. Guests at Sortun’s Oleana in Cambridge, MA, are blown away by her use of fragrant spices such as cardamom, cumin, and orange blossom, creating vibrant and flavorful dishes.

Sortun received a degree from La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris and opened Moncef Medeb’s Aigo Bistro in Concord, MA, in the early 1990s. After visiting Turkey in the late 1990s, Sortun began focusing on creating menus derived from tastes found on her trip, and has since brought her unique and flavorful dishes to other Massachusetts-based restaurants such as 8 Holyoke and Casablanca in Harvard Square.

When Oleana opened in 2001, showcasing Sortun’s unique combination of fresh farm ingredients and eastern Mediterranean spices, rave reviews quickly followed. The James Beard foundation awarded her the Best Chef: Northeast honor in 2005. Her cookbook, published in 2006, SPICE: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, also received a nomination by the foundation in 2008.

In 2006, the food at Oleana began to taste even better due to use of locally farmed and organic ingredients. Grown by Sortun’s husband, Chris Kurth, on their family farm, this produce couldn’t get more local.

Fun fact: The family farm, named Siena Farms, gets its moniker from their daughter.

Recipes:

Heirloom Tomato Kibbeh

Moroccan Spiced Radishes

Shrimp Sagnaki Flambéed with Ouzo