Kemal Coskuncay has lived in other parts of the country but said Liverpool is his home
13:40, 07 Jan 2025Updated 13:40, 07 Jan 2025
Kemal Coskuncay moved to Liverpool with his family partly due to his love of the football team(Image: Kemal Coskuncay)
A dad is backing himself to be named Chef of The Year as he says “We are Scouse, we always win”. Kemal Coskuncay, living in Speke, is best known for being the brains behind Private Delicacies – a dining and consultation company based in South Liverpool.
The 47-year-old has worked with some of Liverpool’s top restaurants including the Lark Lane venue, Al Dente and Halewood’s Casa Rima. His dedication to his craft hasn’t gone unnoticed as he was recently shortlisted for the top accolade at the British Kebab Awards 2025.
After receiving the news, the dad-of-three told the ECHO: “There are plenty of good and talented chefs all over the UK. But I’m the only one nominated in the category from Liverpool and we are Scouse, we always win.
“It’s been a very busy year for us but of course, I’ve been still going to Liverpool games with my family. We get so excited about it. Hopefully, the team can get the championship and all other cups this year, and we get the British Kebab award.”
Kemal moved to Merseyside in 2020 with his wife Gülay, daughter Narin, and two sons, Baris and Berat, following a successful stint as a private chef in London. He has been involved with the industry for over thirty years, starting when he was a teenager.
One summer, his friends got jobs as barbers and farmers, and he decided to become a dishwasher for three months as he waited for school to return.
Kemal Coskuncay is no stranger to awards(Image: Kemal Coskuncay)
Since then, Kemal has perfected his craft and has been able to serve some of his footballer heroes, including Peter Crouch, Ian Callaghan, Howard Gayle, Mike Hooper and Jon Flanagan.
Kemal previously said: “I started as a dishwasher and kitchen porter in Bodrum (a city in Turkey), where I worked alongside the best in the industry. It’s been in my blood for a long time. I have worked very hard throughout my career and take great pride in my work.
“I love Liverpool, and I have always wanted to live here. It is a brilliant place. I am a big Liverpool FC fan, and so are my children, so serving food for Liverpool legends has been like a dream. I love the people here.
Kemal Coskuncay with his family of Liverpool FC supporters(Image: Kemal Coskuncay)
“They are friendly and really appreciate great food and service. I’m so happy to be recognised as one of the best chefs in the country, but being recognised by Scousers is even more special to me.
“I started to love Liverpool when they played against Milan at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey in 2005. My football team is Beşiktaş J.K. in Turkey, but even in the Champions League game, when we lost against Liverpool 8-0 at Anfield, I was still so happy for Liverpool.
Kemal Coskuncay with Liverpool FC’s record appearance holder Ian Callaghan(Image: Kemal Coskuncay)
“The club is one of the reasons I moved to the city. I have watched many games at Anfield with my family – Champions League, FA Cup and Premier League games.”
The winners of the British Kebab Awards be announced on February 26, 2025, at a ceremony at the Park Plaza Westminster Hotel in London. You can click here to see which other Liverpool venues and Wirral companies made the list.