Olive Oil in the Plant-Forward Kitchen Interview Series: Ana Sortun, Oleana Restaurant and Sofra Bakery

In this interview, Ana Sortun discusses the versatility of olive oil, how she approaches olive oil as an ingredient, and the role of olive oil in Spanish cuisine. 

Ana Sortun is the executive chef and co-owner of Oleana Restaurant and Sofra Bakery and Café, in Cambridge, MA. She is also the co-owner of Sarma Restaurant in Somerville, MA, which is modeled after a Turkish meyhane or meze restaurant. Ana, a native of Seattle, graduated from La Varenne École de Cuisine de Paris in 1989 and opened her restaurant, Oleana, in 2001, immediately drawing rave reviews from the New York Times. She was named Best Chef: Northeast by the James Beard Foundation in 2005 for bringing Middle Eastern flavors into the mainstream through her passion for Turkish cooking, spices, and her husband’s (Chris Kurth of Siena Farms) fresh, organic vegetables. A 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and, most recently, a 2020 James Beard “Outstanding Chef” semi-finalist, among her many accomplishments, solidifies her as a leader in the industry.  She is the author of two cookbooks—Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean (William Morrow, 2006), and Soframiz: Vibrant Middle Eastern Recipes from Sofra Bakery (with Maura Kilpatrick, Ten Speed Press, 2016). 

This recipe and video were produced by The Culinary Institute of America as an industry service, thanks to the generous support of the International Olive Council.

Learn more about olive oil at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen