Near the border with Syria, in southern central Turkey, lies the small village of Cocelli.
The village is home to a few hundred people, and used to be home to Ali Sesen’s family. Now, inspired by the food and borrowing the moniker of his familial hometown, Sesen has opened Cocelli Doner Kebab House in Aurora.
“We wanted to bring the hospitality of Turkey here, that's one of the things we wanted,” he said. “Bring our dishes from Cocelli, our village, bring the authentic cuisine and our spices, or whatever you can think about, bring it to Canada, to Ontario.”
The restaurant serves a variety of dishes, including doner kebab wraps and meat skewers. One of Sesen’s favourites is the adana kebab, a meat skewer of minced lamb.
“If I don't eat it, I don't sell it,” he said. “I am the type of guy that needs to taste the food.”
While the food may appear similar to shawarma, the 31-year-old says doner differs in its seasoning and preparation. Doner also differs from East Coast donair, with its distinctive condensed milk-based sauce, popular in Atlantic Canadian cities like Halifax.
Sesen encourages people ordering dishes like the adana kebab to dine in, and hold back on sauces, to better taste the meat. The restaurant also makes its own baklava and kunefe, a desert made of layers of pastry and soft cheese, soaked in a sugary syrup.
Sesen has ambitious plans for Cocelli. Having also opened a new location in Oshawa this month, adding to the original location in Barrie, Sesen hopes to open another dozen locations within five years.
Sesen also wants to give back to the community. Ahead of the restaurant's grand opening on Jan. 23, Sesen has partnered with Aurora-based charity Welcoming Arms, and will donate funds from sales during the restaurant's grand opening to the organization.
In Barrie, Cocelli’s provides funds and meals to the Women & Children's Shelter of Barrie, and in Oshawa is planning to donate funds from that location’s grand opening to Durham Outlook for the Needy.
“I would say we’re not only about the food. Yes, we are here for the food. Yes, we are here to make business, but we also want to have one side of us that helps the community, whatever it is,” he said.
Cocelli Doner Kebab House is open at 15540 Bayview Avenue, with its grand opening set to be held on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 1 p.m.
