ISTANBUL FOOD WORKSHOP

Some scholars and gastronomes consider Turkish to be one of the world’s three best cuisines. The complexity of Turkish food stems from the openness of the Ottoman Empire where dishes were introduced into the cuisine from conquered lands as well as travellers and settlers. Many recipes and methods have been maintained in homes across modern-day Turkey but others have been lost and forgotten. At the Istanbul Food Workshop we aim to recover and re-introduce some of those recipes.

The main programmes of the Istanbul Food Workshop are seasonal. Each programme generally provides longer one-off sessions as well as shorter sessions provided over one, two or four days. All programmes follow a similar format: Turkish and Ottoman cuisine; Bread, Pasta and Pastry-making. Ingredients and recipes in each programme are selected to reflect the produce of the season. Special programmes for Easter, Ramadan, Christmas and Kurban Bayram will focus on foods specially prepared for each occasion. One-off sessions will also be planned throughout the year. Special tastings and lectures make up part of the programme for the Workshop.

Gourmet tours visiting local markets and specialist shops, learning about, looking and tasting the ingredients that make Turkish cuisine so interesting are available. Half days, full days or part of an integrated workshop programme where shopping is followed by an afternoon cooking an Ottoman feast are options.

We are happy to discuss and design individually tailored programmes. If you are visiting Istanbul for a short period of time and would like to participate in an intensive programme please contact us with your requirements.