I was surprised to hear the inventor of the doner kebab died this week.

Surprised mostly because I had assumed Middle Eastern folk had been stuffing lamb into pitta bread for centuries.

Kadir Nurman, pictured, the Turk credited with the invention, passed away in Berlin aged 80. Nurman set up a stall in West Berlin in 1972, selling grilled meat and salad inside a flat bread. His claim to fame was validated by the Association of Turkish Doner Manufacturers.

I hesitate to disagree with these chaps who would appear to be the Royal & Ancient of the kebab world but I recall first going for a doner in the late 1960s in a Turkish restaurant in Camden. (There is evidence that the dish also existed in Dickensian London. Which is why they sang "You've gotta pitta pocket or two" in the musical Oliver!)

Anyway, so impressed was I by the delicacy that upon my return to Glasgow I urged Luigi, owner of my local chip shop, to diversify into kebabs in which endeavour he would surely make his fortune.

The very name doner would strike a chord with Scottish customers. Luigi declined, saying this Turkish snack would never replace the deep-friend pizza.

The kebab became established as a firm favourite, particularly for fresco consumption. In bus shelters or up a close for a more intimate dining experience. Legend has it the sign the earth had moved for a Greenock girl was when she had dropped her doner.

I lost my enthusiasm for the Scottish version when I discovered the lump of meat on the vertical spit was bought in at 20p a lb. Much of it was fat discarded in the butchery process.

The profit margin was huge. One entrepreneur told me he built a sizeable property portfolio in the Gulf States on the strength of the money made selling kebabs in Clydebank.

My best-ever kebab was in Bordeaux whilst following the football. It was succulent lamb in a doggy bag from La Tupina (then rated the second-best restaurant in the world) which a kindly takeaway joint reheated for my midnight supper.

The second was a shawarma in Jerusalem.

These days I would have falafel (a chickpea burger) in a wrap with tahini, and far too much salad, just like I first tasted in Tel Aviv.

Trust me, Luigi, falafel aff a lorry could be the next big thing for post-pub dining.