Cooking Class with Local Chef and Mom at Historic Kadikoy Home
5 reviews
Experience hosted at home by
Deniz
3 Hours
English, Turkish, French
Escape into the heart of Kadıköy with this inviting, hands-on cooking experience. Cook side-by-side with a seasoned local chef and his welcoming mother inside their historic Istanbul home.
You'll learn traditional family recipes passed down through generations—from rolling dolma and mixing fresh mezes to discovering the little secrets behind each dish. More than a class, this is a cultural embrace, filled with stories, laughter, and the flavor of genuine Turkish hospitality.
Gather around the table for a homemade feast you’ll remember long after the last bite. 🧡
🥘 Sample Menu
Main
• Stuffed Onions – Ground meat, rice, and vegetables tucked into tender onion layers
Starter
• Paçanga Börek – A crispy pastry filled with vegetables and Turkish pastırma (cured beef)
• Carrot Tarator – Sautéed carrots mixed with garlicky yogurt and olive oil
Dessert/Side
• Grilled & Smashed Eggplant – Creamy eggplant blended with milk and tahini
What makes it unique?
This experience blends two perspectives: a chef’s culinary knowledge and a mother’s home cooking traditions. Hosted in a historic Kadıköy house, the class offers both professional insight and family recipes. The collaboration between generations creates a rich and personal cooking experience.
What do our guests say?
Deniz and his mom are great. They welcomed us as if we are family members, and taught us all about the spices, gadgets, herbs that are used in the regional dishes we cooked. Best part is that, we got to see the culture and hospitality in a very close look. Going to their cute home and doing this experience with a well educated chef, and his mom was definitely the highlight of our trip. I recommend this to anyone!
09.10.25
GetYourGuide traveler
Deniz and his mom are great. They welcomed us as if we are family members, and taught us all about the spices, gadgets, herbs that are used in the regional dishes we cooked. Best part is that, we got to see the culture and hospitality in a very close look. Going to their cute home and doing this experience with a well educated chef, and his mom was definitely the highlight of our trip. I recommend this to anyone!
09.10.25
GetYourGuide traveler
Lovely afternoon with hosts and good cooking lesson and delicious food. My only suggestion is to in lude in description how far away it is from where most tourists stay (Central -Kadikoy, Karakoy etc) it took us an hour to get there in non- rush hour traffic and almost 2 hours to get back to Kadikoy in rush hour
25.12.25
Sharon Lee
Honestly one of the highlights of my trip to Istanbul. Cooking mezes in a real home, hearing about dinner traditions, and then sitting down all together to eat… it felt so genuine. The food was delicious. Highly recommended instead of a restaurant experience.
06.08.25
Thanks Deniz!
