While Istanbul offers many centuries-old attractions, it’s not the architecture, the grand palaces, or the museums that keep lingering in a visitor’s mind long after they have returned home. It’s the food. The baklava. The kebap. The simit. Unfortunately, most Turkish restaurants abroad can’t deliver the real deal, so you have two options: either make a yearly pilgrimage to Istanbul or learn the secrets of Turkish cooking before you leave.

We’re definitely not suggesting that you shouldn’t visit Istanbul every year, but the second option is probably more practical and cost-effective. And that’s why a cooking class at ICI is must do!

An educational and vocational center that was established in 2008 by Hande Bozdoğan, Istanbul Culinary Institute (ICI) offers professional certificate programs as well as amateur cooking classes (taught by ICI instructor chefs as well as guest chefs) in their modern building in the heart of Beyoğlu.

Their monthly schedule includes several Turkish cooking classes. In June, there were two classes on offer by Guest Chef Pamela Deniz De Andria; one was Turkish Cuisine (where participants learned to make black-eyes peas salad and zucchini cooked in olive oil among other dishes), and the other one was Mezzes/Summer Appetizers (where the menu included sea bass ceviche with pink peppercorns and mashed broad beans with dill).

No need to worry if ICI doesn’t have a Turkish cooking class to your liking while you’re in Istanbul—you can book a private class or group class (of at least 5 people). In fact, that’s how most visitors go about learning the art of Turkish cooking at ICI.

If you’re serious about learning the tricks of Turkish cuisine, their 5-day crash course is a great option.  Last year’s menu included mantı (Turkish dumplings stuffed with meat), artichoke cooked in olive oil, eggplant salad, rice pilaf with tomatoes, apricot compote, Turkish coffee, and much more! The crash course is likely to be offered again this August but if it’s not, you can arrange for such a crash course to be organized for you and your friends.

To give you an idea about how ICI courses work, The Guide team embarked on a cooking adventure of its own.

Here is what happened.

Taught by guest chef Laçin Behlil, the menu of the Impressive Dishes course included shrimp with garlic and feta cheese sauce, baked sea bass with olive and bell peppers, potatoes with bay leaf, and baked pears with sweet wine sauce. There were 5 participants, including the two of us from the Guide, and the atmosphere was very friendly and intimate. Don’t worry if you’re not experienced, this is not a competitive environment at all.

The 2.5-hour class kicked off with each person introducing themselves. In no time, we had our aprons on and were standing by our designated spots to get going. In some classes, participants form pairs to tackle the recipes. During our course, we didn’t work in pairs; instead, each participant was assigned a separate task, such as chopping garlic, cutting potatoes, or preparing the sauce. Certain time-consuming preparations, such as deboning the fish, were done by the assistants prior to the class starting time. All ingredients used in the class were high quality and fresh, including the impressively large shrimp.

It was surely a hands-on course and it was taught in such a way that even the most inexperienced cooks could keep up. As we cut, chopped, and mixed ingredients, the chef kept on giving us little tricks and tips on how to alter the recipe—which is probably one of the best aspects of taking a cooking class because most cook books will give you a recipe without offering you any varieties. If you like to play it safe, you can take a course to learn how to make a fantastic dish so that when you have guests over you know that you’ll be able to impress.

After we were done with the cooking, we all sat at the table, sipping our choice of red or white wine, chatting away, and waiting for the oven to do its magic. Once everything was ready and the food was served, silence took over for a few minutes: we were all very hungry but also amazed at how marvelous the dishes had turned out.

If you’re after a great learning experience and an enjoyable evening, the amateur classes are definitely for you. Call ICI when you’re in Istanbul (or even before you arrive) to book a spot at one of their cooking classes or reserve a time for a private/group class. You’ll see that it is a great investment—one that will pay off months after you leave as you’ll be able to cook great Turkish food at home.

The bookings depend on the availability of chefs and the ICI kitchen. Most instructor chefs can teach in English, but it’s safer to call in advance to let them know that you’ll be needing instructions in English. If the chef doesn’t speak English, there will be an assistant present who can translate. The prices for monthly courses are approximately 120 TL. If you’re after a private or group course, you will be given a separate price. Ask them about team-building, corporate cooking courses, and gift certificates. Call (0212) 251 22 14 for more information and to register.