Salt Bae has responded to claims online that he was turned away at an after-party following PSG’s Champions League triumph over Inter Milan.
The notorious restaurateur attended the showpiece event in Munich, in which Luis Enrique’s side cruised to a 5-0 win – the largest ever margin of victory in a Champions League final.
Salt Bae has been a controversial figure in the footballing world since the 2022 World Cup final, when he broke FIFA rules after gaining access to the pitch and gatecrashing Argentina’s celebrations.
And over the weekend, fans thought they had caught the social media sensation at the centre of another embarrassing moment.
As he exited a bus and approached the entrance to a hotel, where there was reportedly a high-profile party after the final, Salt Bae appeared to be turned away by the doormen and escorted to the side.
Salt Bae has denied claims that he was turned away from a Champions League final party
The viral sensation appeared to have been denied entry to a hotel and escorted to the side
The restaurateur broke FIFA rules after holding the World Cup trophy after the final in 2022
He was then seen waving at fans, posing for photos, and signing books.
However, the chef denied such claims on his Instagram, and explained that he was at the hotel solely for the thousands of fans that wanted to see him there.
Salt Bae said: ‘After the Champions League final match, we arrived to the hotel in UEFA bus, the reason we were there at that moment was because of our thousands of fans who wanted to see us there.
‘As always, I was in that area to return their love and to take photos. Due to the busyness that occurred, while I was waiting for my vehicle to go to my own hotel, my back turned in front of the door, there was a directive from Mr. Dormen.
‘There was no organization like invitation party in the middle, hence the news that I was not included in the party. It’s all just baseless.
‘Let it be known that we are never happy to go anywhere we are called with love not to be taken anywhere. Don’t worry about such little things, the rest is artificial intelligence.’
Real name Nusret Gokce, Salt Bae owns more than 20 Nusr-Et restaurants and charges £2,000 for a tomahawk steak wrapped in gold. He first went viral online in 2017 after filming his flamboyant method of seasoning meat, often in front of diners.
The 41-year-old has struck up a close rapport with several of football’s biggest figures, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who visited one of his restaurants in 2021 and mimicked his salt-seasoning pose.
FIFA launched a probe into the incident and said Salt Bae’s pitch access was not authorised
Despite his previous antics, the chef has a good relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino
‘Mr Nusrat, number one, the best of the best, unforgettable evening in Dubai,’ Infantino said on a video posted on social media. He also called him a ‘legend’.
In the last few days, Salt Bae took to Instagram to give plaudits to Infantino, whom he crowned the ‘King of football’.
‘King of football gianni_infantino Under your leadership, football has not only grown – it has united the world in ways few ever could.’
After Salt Bae’s World Cup final antics, FIFA later revealed that he was not permitted to walk onto the pitch and, after launching an investigation, vowed to take ‘appropriate internal action’.
The chef also insisted that he did not step onto the pitch to steal the limelight from any players.
He said: ‘I didn’t go on the pitch with the purpose of advertising; I just felt like it. Then it was a bit of a surprise. There were at least another 1,000 people on the pitch but when they show the video they make out it was just me.
‘I never, ever wanted to overshadow anything. I didn’t like the attention. I didn’t kick anyone, steal anything.’
