Rakı with Fish or Kebabs? | Wine Professor – İsa BAL
Born in Adana as the son of a working-class family, İsa Bal built an extraordinary journey in the world of wine and gastronomy, eventually earning one of the rarest and most demanding titles on earth: Master Sommelier.
His journey begins in London—
from kitchens where he worked 12 hours a day,
to years of relentless exams,
to restarting again and again in the Master Sommelier process,
a path with only a 3% success rate worldwide.
This interview is more than a career story.
It reveals how wine is deeply connected to history, geography, culture, and human relationships, and how true mastery is shaped not only by knowledge, but by character, patience, and discipline.
The unforgettable moment that starts with
“I bought a wine for £50 and later found out it was worth €30,000”
becomes a symbol of this journey.
But for İsa Bal, the real story is not about expensive wines—
it’s about the right pairing, the right moment, and the right people.
In this documentary-style special interview, you will hear firsthand:
What it truly means to be a Master Sommelier
The place of Turkish cuisine in the global wine world
The best wines to pair with kebabs (Öküzgözü & Boğazkere)
Why wine doesn’t have to be expensive
How tasting, knowledge, and intuition come together
Wine culture in Michelin-starred restaurants
The realities of building a career as a Turkish professional in London
One sentence is repeated throughout the interview:
“If you like a wine, it’s a good wine. You don’t have to justify it to anyone.”
🎬 Chapters
00:00 Turkish cuisine & wine pairing
00:52 A life that began in Adana
01:17 Tourism education & international experience
01:53 Arriving in London & discovering wine
02:29 First sommelier job
03:22 Understanding wine: history & geography
03:52 Becoming Europe’s best
04:03 The Master Sommelier journey
04:24 The 3% success rate
05:41 What mastery really means
05:58 Sommelier work & human connection
06:56 Being an active Master Sommelier in restaurants
07:39 What the profession gives back
07:55 The €30,000 wine story
10:24 Turkish cuisine & pairings
11:01 Rakı or wine?
11:20 The position of Turkish winemaking
11:37 Does wine have to be expensive?
12:27 Trivet & Michelin stars
13:23 Working in London
14:07 Visa issues & Turkish youth
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