Pizzeria inspired by Salt Bae to create pizza with 24-carat gold leaf topping

‘We’re experimenting with gold in food and drink,’ says restaurant manager

(Nonna Said / SWNS)

A restaurant in Glasgow has created a pizza topped with 24-carat gold leaf after feeling inspired by Salt Bae’s infamous £850 steak, which is coated in gold.

Chef Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gökçe, has been making headlines for his expensive dishes at his Knightsbridge restaurant, where one group of diners reportedly left with a £37,000 bill.

The chef initially rose to fame after a video of him sprinkling salt over a steak at his first restaurant in Turkey went viral in 2017.

Now, Nonna Said in Glasgow has launched its own Gold Digger pizza, costing just £6.30, as an alternative to Salt Bae’s expensive dishes.

“We’re experimenting with gold in food and drink,” explained Nonna Said’s duty manager, Gareth Slack.

“Our head chef came up with the Gold Digger pizza - it’s a margherita but it has 24-carat gold leaf and gold dust on the crust.

“Half of me is tempted to jump down and give the steak a bash. But I’d need to get a win at the bookies.

He added that Salt Bae is invited to try his pizza for free, given he paid for the Nonna Said staff to have a meal at his Knightsbridge restaurant, Nusr-Et.

“It’s certainly interesting but I don’t know how they can justify it when they pay their staff £12 an hour,” added Slack.

“Salt Bae could have one on the house as long as we can all go down to his place.

“We’ll all have ten steaks and he can have ten pizzas.”

It’s not the first time a restaurant has been inspired by Salt Bae.

A restaurant owner with eateries in Durham and Sunderland recently created a budget alternative to the chef’s famous 24-carat gold-covered steak.

“For me it was about showing that the gold-covered steak could be done cheaper and could be done better. It doesn’t have to cost the earth,” the owner, John Stirk told The Guardian.