The food and drink industry continues to grow rapidly. I acquired some interesting information about the future of the sector at the Food & Drink Futures Forum, which was organized in Turkey for the first time a couple of weeks ago. In the event held by Brandseers, we witnessed the new trends that are expected over the next five years with the experimental presentations of The Future Laboratory. We also learned that the global food market will rise from $2.5 trillion to $2.9 trillion. I was also quite surprised to find out that the Turkish food sector is worth $140 billion. Some other fascinating news is as follows: Japanese whiskey is growing in popularity; McDonald's plans to generate a premium segment with more expensive products; and Nigeria tops other countries in terms of champagne consumption. We also learned about Amazon's "dash button" service. You should definitely check this service out on YouTube.Looking at what will happen in Turkey this fall, a couple of new restaurant enterprises are exciting. One of them is Toi, which means "you" in French. The restaurant opened on the terrace of the Capital Suites in Akaretler and is ideal for those who want to enjoy a warm, cozy and secluded meal. You must visit this place if you are looking for a real chef table experience. An original experience will be waiting for you on an American walnut veneer table in the middle of the kitchen, which uses the open kitchen concept. The founders are Chef İsmet Saz and the young businessman Rıfat Çebi. Saz, whom I visited and tried his luscious tastes, received his baking training at Dean & Deluca and Tom & Cat. Following his experience in Michelin star restaurants in the United States and Europe, he returned to Turkey to continue his experiences here. The chef works under the slogan of "simplicity perfected" and does not worry about having enough clients, as he has prepared a delicious menu for those who are real foodies and have refined tastes. In particular, the beef wellington recipe is very original. Toi is one of the rare places in Istanbul where you can find this taste. Likewise, you should also try the beetroot risotto with lemon peel and octopus with chimichurri sauce. In truth, I could eat practically anything that came out from that Jasper coal furnace Saz brought from Barcelona. You should try it, too. You should also definitely try the flourless bread of Ayşe Saz, the chef's sister, who is responsible for baking the restaurant's breads and cakes.Another restaurant I like, which opened quite recently and can still be considered new, is Mükellef in Karaköy. This restaurant is located on the terrace of the Haze Hotel and is straight out of the '70s. It perfectly captures the feel of a traditional Turkish pub. Müzeyyen Senar's songs are playing in the background, mezzes are served on your table in old graniteware dishes and the historical peninsula and its unique sea view are right in front of you. The restaurant also reflects the sincerity of its chef, Arda Türkmen. All the main dishes on the menu are written on a big blackboard located inside. As for the mezzes, you order by choosing from the showcase cabinet. In particular, the plate of stuffed vegetables called "topik" is fantastic. I have never seen it anywhere before; it includes caramelized onions, cinnamon and pistachio, and is then covered with beans. However, my favorite was the leaf shaped liver with walnuts. Forget all the liver you have eaten to this day. My only criticism goes to the walnuts, which are added too often to meals. While they go well with almost anything, walnuts could get boring when repeated in numerous different meals. However, the service quality, tastes and particularly the view overshadow all the flaws. We thank Chef Arda for bringing Mükellef to Istanbul.Top 3 People to Follow This WeekCaner Budak / PR professionalSenem Selimi / Event organizerÖzge Altınok Lokmanhekim / BloggerTop 3 Restaurants of the WeekSpago / NişantaşıMorini / LevazımTamirhane / MaslakTop 3 Hotels of the WeekCaressa / BodrumSacred House / CappadociaRaffles Hotel / Levazım