Who is Salt Bae and why was he Ignored By Messi? Also, Know The Chef’s Net Worth

In the wake of Argentina’s World Cup victory, video has surfaced showing a cringeworthy interaction between Lionel Messi and Salt Bae.

On Sunday night, the Paris Saint-Germain star scored twice to lead the South American nation to global glory as they defeated France 4-2 on penalties at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

The Turkish chef’s frantic attempt to meet Messi was captured on camera and shared online. When Nusret Gokce, better known as Salt Bae, approached Lionel Messi after Sunday’s World Cup final, Messi didn’t seem too enthused. Read on to find out everything there is to know about this “Salt Bae” person, who has captured the attention of football fans around the world ever since this exchange took place.

Nusret Gökçe, also known as Salt Bae: Everything You Need to Know

Born in 1983, Salt Bae, a.k.a. Nusret Gökçe, is a famous chef and internet star, who has been going strong since his 2017 breakthrough when his method for seasoning meat became viral.

Nusret’s father Faik was a mineworker, and his mother Fatma was Kurdish; he was born in Erzurum. But because of the family’s financial difficulties, he had to drop out of school when he was in the sixth grade and begin working as an apprentice butcher in Istanbul.

When Gökçe was in his twenties, he decided to pack his bags and head to Buenos Aires to study the locals’ approach to butchery and their delicious meat. His desire to start a steakhouse grew stronger the more he researched the subject, and he eventually did it. He is now the owner of 22 restaurants worldwide.

Salt Bae also created the internet meme that went crazy at the beginning of 2017. On January 7, 2017, he tweeted a video showing himself caring for and cooking an Ottoman steak, and within days, his visage had become an internet meme.

His oddly sensuous meat movies quickly became a series of viral memes, with viewers delighting in Nusret’s showy use of a handful of salt crystals at the end of the clip.

Nusret shot to fame after preparing meals for A-listers including David Beckham, Leonardo DiCaprio, and DJ Khaled. Over 49.8 million people now follow him on his Instagram profile.

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What Is Salt Bae’s Net Worth

Gökçe established the first Nusr-Et steakhouse in Istanbul in 2010. He expanded his successful brand to the Middle Eastern region, opening restaurants in cities including Ankara, Doha, and Dubai.

By the end of the year, Gökçe had opened 13 restaurants across America and Greece thanks to his sudden rise to internet stardom. In 2021, he expanded the business to the fashionable London neighborhood of Knightsbridge with the opening of the first London Branch.

Unfortunately, eating at one of his restaurants won’t come cheap.

Some customers have complained about Salt Bae’s restaurants and have stated that the cuisine at Salt Bae restaurants isn’t very good, while others have said that the prices are too high in comparison to the value they provide. As an example of the exorbitant rates at Salt Bae’s London restaurant, we’ll mention that a bottle of wine there will set you back £10,000, with the average bill coming in at £37,000.

Salt Bae’s estimated net worth is $70 million, largely attributable to the hefty rates he charges at his eateries. It is estimated that he pays himself $20 million per year in wages.

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Why Did Messi Ignore Salt Bae After The World Cup Final?

Salt Bae and other VVIPs were permitted to reach the pitch after the game had ended, for which FIFA has also been criticized.

Messi wasn’t smiling when Salt Bae asked to take a picture with him. As the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was being greeted by colleagues and family, the chef tapped him on the back.

One can see him place his hand on Messi’s shoulder, despite the latter’s clear reluctance, to encourage him to shake his hand, and then try to draw him back again.

Messi paused politely to shake his hand, but Salt Bae continued. Messi obliged his repeated photo requests, and the result is posted on the chef’s Instagram. There’s a photo of them shaking hands, and Salt Bae is pointing towards an unseen photographer. In the photo, Messi’s doesn’t seem too excited.

Whether Messi and Salt Bae knew each other prior to Sunday’s final is unknown. Seeing Salt Bae proudly display the trophy has sparked a lot of backlash online. FIFA states that “only a very exclusive group of persons, including former winners of the FIFA World Cup and leaders of state, are allowed to touch and hold” the trophy.

Football fans were not enthusiastic about his participation in Argentina’s festivities.

Fans are angry that the 39-year-old, real name Nusret Gokce, was permitted on the field, and a video was posted on Twitter with the comment “Even Messi knows salt bae is a hack.”

‘F***ing absurd,’ a supporter said. Who allowed Saltbae to play? I saw several pictures of him with the World Cup trophy and even one of him chomping on a medal.