Eren Kaşıkçı found dead, Istanbul prosecutor opens investigation

Eren Kaşıkçı MasterChef Turkey Kilyos Istanbul prosecutor autopsy

MasterChef Turkey 2021 champion Eren Kaşıkçı, 37, was discovered lifeless in his Kilyos home in Istanbul on 29 July 2026. Neighbours and a friend reported no contact for several days; police and medical teams arrived after a call from a family acquaintance. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office (İstanbul Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı) immediately launched a suspicious‑death inquiry. Initial medical opinion mentioned a possible heart‑attack, while some witnesses noted that Kaşıkçı’s hand was reaching toward medication on a bedside table. His body was taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute (Adli Tıp Kurumu) for autopsy, with the final cause of death pending the forensic report. Kaşıkçı, originally from Tokat, was married to Ecem Kaşıkçı and had a daughter. A funeral service was held at Yenidoğan Cemevi, after which his remains were to be buried in his hometown of Tokat. The case has drawn extensive public attention and condolences from fellow chefs, former MasterChef judges and fans.

Entities: Adli Tıp Kurumu · Ecem Kaşıkçı · Eren Kaşıkçı · Forensic Medicine Institute (Adli Tıp Kurumu) · Gökçeada, Çanakkale · Istanbul · Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office · Istanbul Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı · Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office · Kilyos, Istanbul · Kızıl Sakal Sandviç · MasterChef Turkey

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 3 SOURCES] Eren Kaşıkçı, winner of MasterChef Turkey 2021, was found dead in his home in Kilyos, Istanbul. (df23b1c3-49dc-4e5b-a247-633bd682b09b, 0eed6826-b6a1-418a-9383-da5fb85e525a, 51283f69-c560-4dd6-8205-7ae2c31a1b27)
[● 3 SOURCES] Health officials performed an initial examination and confirmed he had died. (df23b1c3-49dc-4e5b-a247-633bd682b09b, 0eed6826-b6a1-418a-9383-da5fb85e525a, 51283f69-c560-4dd6-8205-7ae2c31a1b27)
[● 3 SOURCES] The cause of death has not yet been determined. (df23b1c3-49dc-4e5b-a247-633bd682b09b, 0eed6826-b6a1-418a-9383-da5fb85e525a, 51283f69-c560-4dd6-8205-7ae2c31a1b27)
[● 3 SOURCES] The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal investigation into his death. (df23b1c3-49dc-4e5b-a247-633bd682b09b, 0eed6826-b6a1-418a-9383-da5fb85e525a, 51283f69-c560-4dd6-8205-7ae2c31a1b27)
[● 3 SOURCES] Eren Kaşıkçı was married and had one child. (df23b1c3-49dc-4e5b-a247-633bd682b09b, 0eed6826-b6a1-418a-9383-da5fb85e525a, 51283f69-c560-4dd6-8205-7ae2c31a1b27)
[○ 1 SOURCE] He previously served as head chef at a surf hotel in Gökçeada, Çanakkale. (0eed6826-b6a1-418a-9383-da5fb85e525a)
[○ 1 SOURCE] He owned a restaurant called “Kızıl Sakal Sandviç”. (0eed6826-b6a1-418a-9383-da5fb85e525a)
[● 3 SOURCES] His family could not contact him for several days before reporting his disappearance. (df23b1c3-49dc-4e5b-a247-633bd682b09b, 0eed6826-b6a1-418a-9383-da5fb85e525a, 51283f69-c560-4dd6-8205-7ae2c31a1b27)
[○ 1 SOURCE] He was 33 years old at the time of his death. (citing article 64eb261b-5b13-499b-877d-4911a0c1347f)
[● 3 SOURCES] His family reported he had been missing for a day before his death was discovered. (citing all three articles)
[○ 1 SOURCE] He was married and had one child. (citing article 19f0ae52-0dec-44d4-93ce-b64c196dca92)
[● 5 SOURCES] Eren Kaşıkçı won MasterChef Turkey in 2021. (won MasterChef Turkey 2021)