by Nicolas Page

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Soldier Turned Cook

     Ali Benli came to Berlin from Turkey in 1977 and joined the U.S. army as a baker. He quickly found his passion in the kitchen preparing ration meals for the troops. As he honed his cooking skills, he eventually opened a restaurant, Curandero, in 2000.
     A Tex-Mex style eatery named after the ancient Myan’s medicine man, Curandero is a local hangout for young and old alike who love Mexican food. Ali cooks all the food himself with a little help from his staff. Every dish he makes must pass his personal standards of perfection. Ali works with his wife of 27 years, Laila. Home life for Ali has now become work life.
     He says that he stayed in Berlin after his Army days because the city was so diverse and accepting of other cultures.  Ali’s son, Erman, also lives in Berlin but does not work in the restaurant with his father because as Ali says, “Working in a restaurant is not like other jobs; you must be there all the time, and right now he needs study.”
     Someone like Ali, however, can handle the stress of working in a restaurant because of devotion to his work and his desire to see customers leave happy. Being in the U.S. Army changed Ali into a man with great drive and commitment to his work.
     In the future, Ali would like to settle down in a small home in a warm area where there is no stress and he can focus on his grandkids instead of an order of nachos.  Still in his late 40s though, Ali Benli may have some time left on his card.