Inspiration

Hello home, Pinar Bakirdan

Under the Instagram name Petite foods, Pinar offers her followers irresistible recipes inspired by everything she ate when she was little, and everything she did not eat. The roots are in Turkey and during our visit we talked about family ties, interest in food and what you never find in her fridge. Meet Pinar.

Pinar, possibly most people know you as Petite Foods, through your fantastic instagram account! But tell me who you are!
Oh this question is always so hard to answer! I am 30 years old, live in Stockholm with my fiancé and work as a UX designer. Petite Foods is something I do in my spare time. Both my parents are from Turkey so I am there every summer. I have two older brothers. I love everything in miniature form. I am short. That I like things in miniature and that I am short is the reason why the account is called Petite Foods. I'm naughty and have a childish sense of humor! I love to surprise and to be surprised but it clashes with my eager personality.

"My own interest in food started already in preschool and in primary school I could cook myself."

How was Petite Foods born?
I've always been interested in food and wanted to do something about it. I started the account in 2015 but did not really have time then. When I was fired from my previous job at the beginning of the pandemic, I suddenly had oceans of time to cook and take pictures. Petite Foods is my Corona baby!

Where does your interest in food come from?
Food has always been a big part of my life! My parents ran a meat shop in Hötorgshallen and kebab restaurants and when I went to high school I worked extra at my brothers' restaurant. My own interest in food started already in preschool and in primary school I could cook myself. I was curious about other food cultures than my own as I only got Turkish food at home. I simply had to take matters into my own hands to eat other food at home! My older brothers thought it was fun to eat the food I cooked, which also gave me a boost.

What do you eat this summer?
In Sweden: fresh potatoes, fresh cabbage, Swedish strawberries and crispy iceberg lettuce with lots of lemon.
In Turkey: figs, cherries, melons, fish, mussels with rice filling and fermented vegetables. Also, cold cucumber soup too!

Describe yourself with three words!
Impulsive
Social
Lively

What is important to you?
That everything is tidy and in order order around me otherwise I find it difficult to focus!

When do you feel happiest?
When me and my fiancé eat good food in front of a series that we have longed to see. When I have cooked for family / friends and they like the food. When I get to play with friends children or dogs. When the whole apartment is freshly cleaned haha…

"Swedish food feels very brown while Turkish food often runs in red tones"

What do you always find in your fridge vs. what would you never find?
Always: Turkish yogurt, olives, fermented vegetables. Never: Caviar (Tex Kalles).

What is the biggest difference between Swedish and Turkish food culture?
The colors maybe! Swedish food feels very brown while Turkish food often runs in red tones. We use a lot of tomato puree and fresh tomatoes and the base for many dishes is tomato-based.

What would you recommend?
Not to buy tomato puree in a tube but in a large can, it is the same price but a big difference in volume. If you do not use tomato puree as often and it gets bad, you can either freeze small cubes or pour on a layer of cooking oil so that the top is completely covered.

I listen to…
Swedish hip hop, dancehall, RnB, pop, reggae and some electronic music through my fiancé!

I dream of…
A dog!

I prefer to travel to…
Countries / cities that have good food. My favorite destination is Thailand!

When I was little I wanted to… Become an interior designer!

My best trait is…
That I am creative in many situations.

I love…
Fermented vegetables and olives!