Salt Bae Slammed By Animal Rights Organisation PETA

The 38-year-old, real name Nusret Gökçe, became a meme due to his distinctive seasoning method back in 2017 - now he owns a global chain of luxury steakhouses, known for their impressive cuts of meat, extravagant presentation and eye-wateringly expensive dishes.

Yes, the Turkish restaurateur has well and truly cashed in on his viral fame, amassing more than 40 million followers on Instagram, where he flaunts his flashy lifestyle.

But animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) thinks it's about time we stop celebrating his meaty menus and carcass content.

Dawn Carr, director of vegan corporate projects at PETA, told LADbible that Gökçe's 'extortionate' prices cannot distract from the reality of what he serves up to diners.

She said: "Perhaps news that top chef Marco Pierre White will soon be serving vegan steaks in his restaurants will strike a match under Nusret Gökçe and inspire him to sprinkle some compassion onto his dishes.

"Even the extortionate prices can't distract from the reality of what – or rather who – is on his menus."

She continued: "Cows don’t want to die for our meals, and raising animals to eat them is an environmental disaster. 

"The most exquisite restaurants, state-of-the-art Michelin-starred chefs, and sophisticated consumers know that when it comes to animals, human health, and the future of the planet, decadent vegan foods – of which there are plenty – are always the finest choice."

As Dawn points out, aside from the ethical considerations when it comes to eating meat, there's also the health of the planet to factor into our decision-making.

Almost a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture and other related land use - according to the United Nations. This contributes to global warming, which in turn leads to a whole host of other problems you surely know about by now.

As such, Mike Barrett, executive director of science and conservation at the World Wildlife Fund, thinks we need to start eating less meat and more plants - for the sake of animals, the planet and ourselves.

"Half of all habitable land is used for agriculture, and three-quarters of that land is used to feed and raise livestock.

"To feed a growing world population, it's far more efficient to use land to produce crops that people can consume directly, and to have a fair global approach ensuring that parts of the world with diets high in meat and dairy shift towards more plant-based foods."

LADbible has contacted Salt Bae for comment.