04/04/2026
Insider Food Imam Cagdas has been making baklava the same way since 1887: entirely by hand, without any automation. The Gaziantep shop is now in its fifth generation of ownership, with Burhan Cagdas carrying on the craft his forefathers passed down to him. As food influencers and culinary tourists from around the world make the pilgrimage to try the famous baklava, the family isn't changing a thing. We visited the kitchen to see how this legendary shop keeps a 139-year-old tradition alive.
00:00 - Intro
01:04 - Rolling the dough
02:21 - Layering with clotted cream and pistachios
02:55 - Pistachio sourcing and costs
03:49 - History of Imam Cagdas
04:22 - History of baklava
05:34 - Baking the dessert in wood-burning ovens
06:15 - Impact of 2023 earthquakes
06:40 - Specialty kebabs and Gaziantep's culinary scene
08:22 - Preparing the most popular kebab, ali nazik
08:51 - Tasting ali nazik
09:18 - Finishing the baklava with syrup and ghee
11:14 - Imam Cagdas as a viral sensation
11:41 - Tasting the baklava
12:24 - The restaurant's family legacy
13:09 - Credits
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How One Family Has Been Making Baklava The Same Way For 5 Generations | Still Standing | Insider Food
Imam Cagdas has been making baklava the same way since 1887: entirely by hand, without any automation. The Gaziantep shop is now in its fifth generation of o...
