Brit sold Turkish kebabs, accused of cultural theft
Dirty Donny's restaurant in Hackney, London, has stopped selling kebabs following accusations of cultural appropriation, according to the Daily Mail. Owner Simon Paul Bays, known as DJ Alien Communications, faced criticism for selling Turkish food as a white man in a borough with a large Turkish community.
Also controversial were the brand's visuals - a cartoonish figure of a man with a hairy chest and beard - and a video on TikTok that referred to the business as "kebabs from DJs with cool music".
Bays responded with a public apology and admitted cultural insensitivity. He renamed the establishment without direct reference to the foreign cuisine.
The rebranding, however, was deemed unnecessary by some members of the public - criticism, according to several, came not from Turks but from white progressives. Local Turkish businessmen said the concept itself did not bother them.
After the rebranding, interest in the business has not waned - witnesses say there are queues outside Donny's Deli, even though the sandwiches are priced at £25.
(pir)