From Turkey to Viera: Chef Offers Culinary Destination Like No Other
Tom Davis still talks about a legendary dinner Chef Ercan (pronounced Er-jzhan) Ekinci prepared for him years ago.
“To this day, my husband describes his favorite dish ever, a wild boar ragout created by Chef for a wine dinner,” Karen Davis said.
The couple are pumped that their favorite chef will soon be serving dinner at what may well be the county’s biggest culinary event, the opening of Ekinci’s Urban Prime restaurant just minutes from the couple’s home in Viera.
The restaurant and market concept of Urban Prime will be the keystone of the Viera Town Center, the area The Viera Company expects to be the heart of the community.
On track to open this summer, the 300-seat Urban Prime will be among the largest restaurants in the county, and additionally feature a gourmet market with artisanal butcher shop, a fresh sushi bar, a 7,000-bottle retail boutique wine operation, outdoor seating for 150, a large firepit gathering area, two bars, dedicated golf cart parking and ample parking for other vehicles.
“It is abundantly clear that Chef has designed something that captures and crystallizes the uniqueness of Viera,” Davis said.
Culinary Journey Started at Home
When Ekinci was growing up in Turkey, he could never have envisioned how life would eventually lead him to Viera and Urban Prime, but the seeds for the chef’s meticulous attention to perfection in any dish he creates were indeed sown in the tiny village where his parents farmed for a living, and where he first developed a passion for the opportunity to feed both body and soul through cooking.
“I learned organic farming, harvesting and self-sustainable living at a very young age,” Ekinci said. “I spent hours cooking with my mother and grandmother, which sparked my passion for food and its connection. I could not shake the feeling that I was meant to be in the kitchen.”
During adolescence, when other teens veered toward sports, Ekinci made a beeline for the kitchen, spending hours researching, practicing and mastering the art of cooking. An apprenticeship in Istanbul honed his pastry skills.
“As a teenager, I worked with an incredible pastry chef in Istanbul,” he said. “He was a huge inspiration in the pastry side of my culinary journey.”
At age 23, Ekinci arrived in the United States and promptly enrolled in the Southeastern Culinary Academy. In 1992, after Ekinci moved to Melbourne, he met whom he considers one of the Space Coast’s best chefs, the late Michael Black, chef at Eau Gallie Yacht Club for 26 years.
“He introduced me to the American Culinary Federation, which shaped my career, and he took the extra steps to assist me in preparing for my final Certified Executive Chef exam,” Ekinci said.
With Black’s guidance, Ekinci earned the title of Certified Executive Chef from the American Culinary Federation.
Food Roots in Brevard
Ekinci managed culinary operations for Indian River Colony Club for five years and led food service and catering for Baytree County Club for three years before joining the Green Turtle Market, where Ekinci served as executive chef/partner for two decades. He helped cement Green Turtle’s reputation as a culinary destination, both at its Grapevine Caf, as well as with its extensive catering business.
Karen and Tom Davis became Ercan fans from his Green Turtle days.
“We can regale you with stories of the most memorable dining experiences imaginable with dishes we wish we could somehow resurrect on command,” Karen Davis said.
Donna and Stuart Liberman also became enamored of Ekinci’s cooking around the same time.
“We attended many of his special wine dinners, where his dishes’ harmony of flavors were paired perfectly with wines from all over the world,” Donna Liberman said. “We have experienced over a decade of his weeknight dinners, Thanksgiving specialties and his catering of many holiday parties. All were exceptional.”
The Indialantic couple so enjoyed Ekinci’s cooking that they even depended on the chef to orchestrate a private wine dinner for Stuart’s 60th birthday.
Creating memorable culinary moments drives the chef’s passion for excellence, and he plans to make foodies very, very happy at Urban Prime.
“Our ultimate goal is to provide Viera and beyond the ultimate dining and gathering experience under one roof,” he said. “Urban Prime will be a new high-energy and sophisticated open concept urban market and modern restaurant.”
Vision, Experience Come to Life
When choosing the name for the restaurant that for Ekinci will be the realization of the American dream, he opted for Urban to fit with the vibe of the Viera Town Center. Prime was a given from the get-go.
“It represents attention to detail, commitment to quality and premium products,” he explained.
Within a building design based on the crisp, timeless architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and decorated with the work of local artists who are members of Brevard Cultural Alliance, Urban Prime will showcase a market with locally-sourced produce, sustainable and wild-caught seafood, artisanal meats, upscale deli and handcrafted cheeses from around the world, seasonal grab-and-go options and fresh breads.
The restaurant will feature unique cuisine, craft cocktails and boutique wine selections. The collection of wines, both at the restaurant and the market, span a range of price points, but share one attribute: “wow” factor.
The Davises, Libermans and the many other Ercan followers are happy to hear he plans plenty of special events.
“He has conceptualized a culinary marketplace that will be a regular destination for many throughout the county,” Davis said.
The menu will reflect the chef’s appreciation for Mediterranean dishes and the cuisine of his native Turkey.
“I grew up with Mediterranean ingredients like olive oils, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, artichokes, figs, almonds, grapes, apricot, sourdough breads and pastries — the backbone of Mediterranean cuisine,” he said.
“Turkey is surrounded by the sea, so fish is a large component of their meals. My father hunted, so I grew a taste for all game — rabbit, quail, deer, partridge and duck.”
Ekinci has in mind mouth-watering selections like Barolo-braised short ribs with wild fennel pollen, roasted butternut squash, taleggio dolce risotto and crispy kale, perhaps with a side of white truffle parmesan cauliflower gratin or a mushroom fricassee.
A talented photographer, Ekinci should have no problem delivering luscious Instagrammable imagery of the menu. Spare time is nonexistent as the chef prepares for the grand opening, but when normalcy returns to his life, Ekinci plans to continue his hobbies of landscape and wildlife photography, as well as spend time in the garden with the orchids and other plants and herbs he adores.
Ekinci’s fellow traveler on his journey to Urban Prime is his wife, Karen.
“She is part of the dream, assisting me with the endless tasks needed to achieve the goal of opening day,” he said.
Karen is as busy as Ercan, for she also works full time at the Office of Food and Nutrition at Brevard Public Schools.
The excitement Karen and Ercan feel about the opening of Urban Prime is matched by the anticipation of patrons.
“We are already envisioning the central role Urban Prime will be playing in our life and that of all our friends,” Davis said.
Connect
urbanprimefoods.com/
2435 Metfield Drive
Melbourne, Florida 32940
Facebook: /Urban.Prime.Market
Instagram: @urban_prime_market
Twitter: @UrbanPrimeViera
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