Cagri Kanver: The Visionary Serving and Inspiring Others through his Restaurant and Real Estate Empire
Since moving to the United States, visionary and developer Cagri Kanver has taken over the real estate industry while spicing up the Manhattan, Hamptons and Miami restaurant scene with El Turco, the hot spot that pays homage to his Turkish heritage. This former busboy represents the ultimate immigrant story, one which is still being written.
Upon arriving in his new country in 1996, Kanver set out to reach his goals. Today, he has not only become a part of the American dream but has helped to create it for others through his real estate endeavors. The entrepreneur and restauranteur has a master’s degree in architecture and also an MBA. After working for HOK, one of the world’s largest architectural firms, he brought his talents to Deloitte Consulting. These opportunities allowed the businessman/investor to learn about the architectural side as well as the process of real estate.
Once he learned the real estate ropes, Cagri formed his own real estate investment company in New York, where he is involved in everything from development to building materials. His secret has remained doing things his own way. “Being the master of my own projects along with bringing over building materials from Turkey and understanding the real estate industry based on my architectural background helped me to play this game on the whole spectrum of a real estate lifestyle,” explains Cagri. “Real estate is a full life cycle, starting with consulting all the way to the management of a building. There are many different bits and piece of this cycle, such as architectural, engineering, development, investment, construction, operations, and management. With my extensive knowledge and expertise, I wear different hats for any type of project, especially in Miami, New York and now in the Hamptons, where I either invest in a project, develop it with local developers, bring the materials or all of the above.”
This dedicated dealmaker who is involved solely in development dealings rather than the brokering of any of the properties, sometimes also brings investments from other parts of the world. A Turkish native who has reached the top of the real estate industry in the U.S., Cagri credits his success to the opportunities he has been afforded in his adopted country. “Everyone here is playing to make it happen. What I learned about this country is that everybody has an equal chance, regardless of their ethnicity, country, religion or color,” he says with an accent he’s retained with pride 25 years after leaving Turkey.
“Regardless of who I was and where I came from, I was able to make it just because of the passion I have for the business. I was always being raised up and I cannot pay this country back enough for what it has done for me. The American dream is alive, as long as you know how to take advantage of it. Many friends of mine came and left for one reason or another. My commitment to this country is always rewarding and it has been a gift not only for me but also for my daughter. I encourage people from overseas to see that they can make it happen here and be someone.”
To Cagri, being successful means more than just a dollar amount, but rather his reputation as a hardworking, honest businessman. This devoted developer who has traveled around the world multiple times, and is learned in diverse personalities, cultures, and religions, is equally passionate about connecting people. “When working with an investor or my service providers, I don’t disappear during the life cycle of a real estate project. I am always there, keeping the chains hooked to each other. Everyone needs to know the rules and the risks, so we are all part of this game which needs to be managed accurately and honestly.”
Through his restaurant and nightlife venue, El Turco, whose latest East Hampton location has been buzzing since it opened on Three Mile Harbor Road, Cagri also gets to do what he loves best—connecting with others. With famed Chef Güney at the helm, El Turco serves up mouthwatering Turkish and Mediterranean delicacies. Chef was even awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand last year. The space is also rich with cultural ambiance and features artwork by Efe Korkut Kurt and Alea Pinar Du-Pre. Hamptons locals are already lining up for weekend DJ nights and authentic delicacies. including acik (shredded cucumber, fresh dill, and mint in garlic yogurt), Sarma (grape leaves stuffed with rice, currant, and spices), and Roasted Beet Hummus with lemon, coriander, garlic, and cumin.
“I travel all the time either for business or pleasure and I always believed in the potential of owning a restaurant, especially in a fancy place such as the Hamptons. It helps you to meet people you would never have come across otherwise. It’s also been very enjoyable to create something from scratch and designing it and bringing in art to create a special atmosphere along with Michelin-rated food. Life is too short and sometimes people are too conservative with their investments and their entrepreneurship skills. I have a lifestyle that I appreciate and execute it right.”
Though he is grateful for what he has been able to achieve in this country, Cagri also remains proud of his Turkish roots. This inspired investor who always assesses potential risks, is also invested in a building material company from Turkey called High Gate Millwork. The high-end millwork company offers elegant and customized products for properties ranging from single family residences to mega hospitality projects. Over the last two years, they’ve done an extensive amount of work in the Hamptons to satisfy the many high-end builders requiring millwork in the area. High Gate Millwork is also responsible for the design of El Turco.
Through his various companies, Cagri is involved in tiles, stonework, granite, natural stone and customized furniture for both office space and residential homes. “Our customized furniture is based on designers’ requests and requirements. I’m very much involved with every building and I have investments with developers to bring different projects to life. Most materials are from Turkey, which I am proud of, as they are less well-known and have only been marketed over the last five or six years.”
This art lover also has a vast collection, especially from Turkish artists, whom he encourages to come to the United States in order to promote their artistic work. Soon, visitors to El Turco will not only be able to taste the best of Turkey, but appreciate its artistic achievements, when Cagri places his own privately owned sculpture made by a Turkish artist in front of the restaurant. The piece, which was made by one of Turkey’s most famous architects, is another way to showcase his heritage.
Cagri, who is active in different Turkish organizations in New York and is president of REED, was recently honored with a RED Award for his real estate achievements. He also donates money to various charities. He might be a dominant force in the development industry, but Cagri compares himself only to one person—himself.
“I am always competing with myself to find the next challenging but well-analyzed business. I am a servant of life by helping others and giving back to the community. I started off as a busboy. My goal now is to help others advance. During your life, I think a pure heart is always being rewarded, if not by people, then God.”
Now 47, the divorced father of one 16-year-old daughter can usually be seen either in his office in Midtown or what he jokes is his other office—Casa Cipriani Downtown—where he ends up meeting a lot of like-minded people and possible connectors. Acknowledging that his journey continues, he wants his story to influence or change the direction of someone else’s life, including the most important person in his life, his daughter, who is already thinking about pursuing international business. Upon his recent acceptance of a recent award, Cagri’s speech was dedicated to his daughter so that she would be proud of him, which we have a feeling she already was.
Whether it’s through his real estate investments, charitable donations or restaurant endeavors, Cagri is indeed serving others, while inspiring them as well.
