"Döner" and "kebab" are often used interchangeably in everyday life – but that isn't quite correct. Knowing the terms helps you understand Turkish grill cuisine better. Here are the key differences.
Kebab – the umbrella term
In Turkish, "kebab" refers quite generally to grilled or roasted meat. It's therefore an umbrella term for many dishes – from Adana to Şiş to döner.
Döner – the rotating spit
"Döner" literally means "rotating". So the döner kebab is the version in which layered meat is grilled on a vertical, rotating spit and thinly sliced off – with a döner knife.
Other well-known variants
- Dürüm: döner rolled in thin flatbread (yufka).
- Adana kebab: seasoned minced meat on a skewer, grilled over charcoal.
- Şiş kebab: pieces of meat on a skewer.
What they have in common
What they all share is top-quality grilled meat. For döner, a good döner machine and a sharp döner knife are decisive; for kebab and köfte, a powerful grill.
Conclusion: Every döner is a kebab, but not every kebab is a döner. For all variants, MAVI supplies the right equipment – straight from the manufacturer.
