Ertan Cakmak
Global hospitality executive with two decades of experience leading large-scale transformations, scaling brands, and building high-performance organizations across international markets.
As a Chartered Manager Fellow, he combines strategic clarity with operational excellence to deliver sustainable growth, technology-enabled hospitality systems, governance-driven operations, and measurable business impact.
Professional Experience
Business Manager
Nov 2025 – Present
- Advising on U.S. market entry, operational setup, and leadership structure for a new restaurant group.
- Shapes strategic roadmap for next-generation restaurant ventures across brand architecture, concept creation, and operational design.
Columnist
Feb 2025 – Present
- Writes weekly columns on food culture, leadership, and hospitality trends.
Director of Operations
Aug 2024 – Jul 2025
- Led enterprise-scale transformation across 30+ locations.
- Oversaw operations at Vakko Hotel & Residence and international partnerships including Caviar Kaspia Paris and La Specialità Milano.
- Increased GMV from 900M TRY to 1.6B TRY while enhancing guest experience.
- Strengthened brand value, operational structure, and financial performance across Vakko Food Group.
Head of Culinary & Operations
Nov 2021 – Aug 2024
- Scaled a zero-base operation into a nationwide online sales model.
- Led 750 team members across eight departments.
- Scaled 50 restaurants, 22 brands, and 3,000+ sales points.
- Reached over 3M cumulative orders within 18 months.
Founder & Consultant
Mar 2020 – Mar 2022
- Founded virtual fine dining kitchen.
- Achieved 1.5M TRY revenue in 6 months.
Head Unit Manager
Nov 2014 – Apr 2020
- Managed luxury catering operations for Formula 1 and Michelin-level events.
- Led mission-critical operations for the Formula 1 Grand Prix and European Championships.
- Collaborated with Michelin-starred chefs to create world-class guest experiences.
Part-Time Instructor
Feb 2016 – Jan 2018
- Taught Food and Beverage Management in the Hotel Management undergraduate program.
General Manager
Mar 2014 – Nov 2014
- Directed daily operations while ensuring Zuma’s global service standards and guest satisfaction.
- Managed team development, training, and high-end dining experience optimization.
Education & Certifications
- Çanakkale University — BA in Tourism Management, 2009
- Harvard University — Arts & Mixology Program, 2011
- WSET Advanced Certificate — Boston, 2011
- IBS Turkey — Micro MBA Certificate, 2015
- Chartered Management Institute, UK — Chartered Manager Fellow (CMgr FCMI), 2025
Selected Impact
- Scaled Migros One Kitchen from zero-base operations into a nationwide online sales model.
- Surpassed 3M orders within 18 months at Migros One.
- Led 750 team members across eight departments.
- Transformed Vakko Food Group’s 30+ locations and increased GMV from 900M TRY to 1.6B TRY.
- Managed luxury hospitality operations for Formula 1 Grand Prix and European Championships.
- Founded Tazelist Food and generated 1.5M TRY revenue within 6 months.
Core Skills
- Strategic Operations
- Hospitality Leadership
- Brand Development
- Culinary Innovation
- Concept Creation
- Team Structuring
- International Expansion
- Guest Journey Design
- Operational Transformation
- Technology-Enabled Hospitality Systems
- Governance-Driven Operations
- Growth Consulting
Professional Profile
- Global hospitality executive with two decades of international operational leadership experience.
- Specializes in integrating digital infrastructure with physical operations to build scalable systems.
- Combines strategic clarity, operational discipline, brand architecture, and high-performance team development.
- Contributes thought leadership through weekly food culture, leadership, and hospitality trend columns.