What’s your earliest memory with miniatures? How did you first get started making miniature food that’s edible?
I love watching miniature cooking videos. When I saw that no one from my country had made such videos, I wanted to be the first to do it and I achieved this goal.
I set up a miniature kitchen in the scale of 1:12 and cook Turkish food, and food from around the world using real and edible ingredients.
Watch a miniature burger tutorial!
Do you remember the very first miniature food dish you made?
Of course, it’s not that long ago. I cooked an eggplant and I was disappointed. It was not cooked properly, the oven was constantly going off and it did not look like what I wanted. But I kept trying!
What is the food scene like in Turkey?
Turkish food is magnificent and it’s so much more than just kebab! There are lots of materials and cooking techniques. I think I also get to introduce Turkish cuisine to the world in a fun way.
For those that don’t know, what is the translation of Mini Yemek?
Mini yemek (or minyatur yemek) means mini food.
Favorite miniature dish you’ve ever prepared?
I guess stuffed meatballs. They are so difficult to make! I remember being delighted when it was finished, though. I was very happy with the results.
What inspires you? What keeps you creating new Mini Yemek videos?
I look at the things around me in a different way now. Bottle caps, a plant’s seed or a little piece of cloth can give me ideas and inspire me. I use them as décor in my videos. I make my menus using plants that I grow myself and ingredients that I “minimize” myself. Every menu is a new challenge!
Favorite miniature quote?
My videos have been posted with the title “cooking level impossible.” I guess I could say “everything is possible at the Mini Yemek kitchen.”
Ece Caglayan is based in Istanbul, Turkey. She creates Mini Yemek videos and recipes in small scale. To see new Mini Yemek videos, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
