Cooking Alaturka, Istanbul

Had such a fun experience in Rocco and Leyla’s kitchen! They opened up a private class for myself and a friend and we had the best time learning about Turkish history and Ottoman cuisine. The meal prep was easy but informative and fun. The meal turned out delicious and we ate it with Leyla with some fantastic local wine. Would highly recommend this class to anyone who enjoys cooking, food, history, and wine! Leyla was also such a funny and warm host! She was also very helpful with local recommendations for other restaurants and attractions. She even called a few places to make reservations for us! Thank you for a memorable afternoon!!!

If you visit Istanbul it’s a must! My boyfriend found this class on a travel blog and it was one of the most authentic culinary experiences we have had while traveling. Leyla and Rocco are super warm, friendly and knowledgeable. We did the class with two of our friends and we had a blast! They welcomed us very warmly and we’re extremely organized. We began by getting to know each other and having an overview of the 5 dishes. They printed out the menu with the recipes for us to take with us. While cooking everything was seamless and we all got to contribute to the cooking. We learned about the different regions of Turkey while sharing about our own cultural dishes similarities and differences. After cooking for a couple of hours we got to eat dinner in a beautifully placed table where Layla served us the different courses with some really tasty white Turkish wine. Hands down one of the best culinary experiences we have had. They are a very warm and kind couple I highly encourage you to experience them on your own!