Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Başak Turan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Başak, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I believe my family took the right step by using the resources they had to give me a good education. They did this sometimes by pushing me, sometimes by guiding me, but mostly by providing me with a framework. This framework was not restrictive; it was guiding, protective and nurturing.
They gave me the freedom to develop my language, my vision and my outlook on the world. But that freedom was never unrestrained. No matter where I was, I always knew deep down that they were by my side. This sense of support enabled me to make big decisions more courageously at times and to get back up again even when I fell.
There is something that is very difficult to understand when you are young: your family loves you, but sometimes they also love you through their own fears. Even though I did things they didn’t approve of, over the years I realised that they always approved of me – or at least tried to understand me. All they really wanted was for me to live a peaceful and happy life. Looking back now, I am certain that they did the best they could. And thanks to their efforts, today I am able to walk my own path freely and with a clear conscience.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Yoga is not just a profession for me; it is a transformative, unifying, and deepening part of my life. My journey to becoming a yoga instructor emerged naturally from my desire to transform my relationship with my body and with life.
I worked in the culinary and nutrition sectors for many years. After completing my bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, I pursued professional culinary training at Le Cordon Bleu in London. For 17 years, I worked in restaurant and hotel kitchens, navigating the fast-paced environment of the hospitality sector while pursuing my passion for healthy and refined flavours. However, over time, my perception of food, the body, and well-being began to evolve.
While working as a chef, I wanted to continue my academic development, so I applied for a master’s degree and was offered an academic career opportunity. I worked as an academic in the nutrition department for a while. However, the gap between practical life and the academic world began to limit me in achieving what I wanted to do. Therefore, I decided to leave academia and start my own businesses to be back in the field, in the heart of life. I gained new experiences in healthy nutrition, fine dining, and various culinary concepts.
Throughout this process, my yoga practice has always been with me since my 20s; it started as a hobby and gradually became an indispensable part of my life. Five years later, a new chapter began when I enrolled in a yoga teacher training programme. Initially, my intention was simply to deepen my own practice; however, during the training, breathing exercises, body awareness practices, and philosophical discussions showed me the transformative power of yoga in all areas of life. As I drew inspiration from different disciplines, my yoga practice deepened and my perception of life changed.
Over the years, my experience and education have helped me develop a more holistic approach to yoga. I have studied a wide range of subjects, from anatomy to philosophy, biomechanics to Ayurveda, neuroscience to energy body work. By blending this knowledge and experience, I have developed an understanding that combines ancient wisdom with modern science.
Today, I work with a wide range of students aged 25 to 80. In my classes, I guide each student to get to know their own body, become aware of their inner resources, and develop a more flexible, peaceful, and mindful existence in their daily lives. I offer yoga practice as a tool for each individual to hear the rhythm and needs of their body.
For me, yoga means seeing the body as a space for observation and life as a space for practice. It is not just about stretching and strengthening; it is about deepening, simplifying, and centring.
Throughout my journey, I strive to share all the knowledge and perspectives I have gained through simple yet effective practices. Yoga can be an accessible and transformative tool for everyone. And I see guiding this reminding, helping people rediscover themselves, as one of my greatest responsibilities.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

If I could go back, I would still choose the same path—nutrition, culinary arts, and eventually, yoga. Each step has shaped who I am today. But if I could change anything, it would be how I treated myself along the way.

Instead of losing myself in the pace and pressure of each chapter, I would try to savor both the challenge and the beauty of the process. I would protect my energy with more compassion, and hold space for rest just as much as I did for growth.

I sometimes wish I had discovered balance earlier. But I also recognize that the depth of understanding I have today may only have been possible through the very struggles I went through. So, no regrets—only gratitude for the way the journey unfolded, and for the resilience it carved into me.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Beyond formal training and knowledge, what has helped me most in this field is the diversity of people and environments I’ve had the chance to work with. Whether in the kitchen, the clinic, the classroom, or the yoga studio, each space taught me something unique—not just about the work itself, but about human nature, communication, and the art of holding space.

Working across multiple disciplines—sometimes simultaneously—allowed me to see the same issue through different lenses. The service industry and the health field, for instance, may seem worlds apart, yet both revolve around care, responsiveness, and presence. Being immersed in these different worlds helped me develop a truly holistic perspective.

This mosaic of experiences gave me an intuitive sense of integration. It taught me that success is not just about knowing more, but about seeing connections where others might see separation—and meeting people where they are, with openness and humility.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_basakturan_/

Image Credits

Anouk Wijgergans
Gökhan Göktepe