Reşat Yüzen operates rock-cut cafe in Cappadocia for 41 years

Reşat Yüzen, a 70-year-old resident of Cappadocia, has operated a small rock-cut cafe in the Kızılçukur Valley for 41 years. The 9-square-meter cave space has been transformed over four decades into a resting point for domestic and international tourists walking through the valley.

Yüzen has dedicated much of his life to serving visitors, often offering products he has grown himself in a garden he created. He noted that when he first began operating the cafe, many trees in the valley had dried up, prompting him to spend a year planting saplings to re-green the area. He currently sustains his livelihood through tips provided by travelers who stop to rest and converse with him.