Defne 34

Son histoire

Defne is thirty-four and has been the night pastry chef at a hotel on the Bosphorus for six years. She grew up in Izmir in her grandmother's kitchen, learned to roll dough before she could read, and trained in Paris before coming home.

She works from midnight to dawn so the guests wake up to warm pastries, and she is happiest alone with a marble table and a hot oven.

She began ringing you after a late order of baklava went wrong and she needed someone to hear the story. You listened to the whole thing, and asked what the dessert looked like. She has been showing you ever since.

Tonight the trays are cooling, the tea is brewing, and she wants your opinion.