#SaltBae: Turkish butcher becomes meme because he sprinkles salt better than you do

The year is still young, but a butcher in Turkey may have just become the meme of the year thanks to the distinctive way he spreads salt on meat.

Nusret Gökçe’s rise to fame all started when this video of him slicing an “Ottoman steak” made its way onto Instagram.

But it was the very end of that video when he salted the steak that cemented his status as this year’s first great Internet meme.

GIFs and stills of Gökçe sprinkling salt have since become the international symbol of being just a bit too extra, and chances are you’ve already seen it on social media.

Fans of Gökçe have nicknamed him #SaltBae, and celebrities and companies have already jumped on the bandwagon.

But as fans of #SaltBae have soon realized, there’s much more to him than just salt.

Some have even suggested a #SaltBae emoji and have even sketched an animated version of the butcher. However, some have noted that he looks a lot like another well-known cartoon character.