Shop, Cook, Feast: A Hands-On Culinary Adventure
About this activity
Highlights
- Learn how to prepare iconic, delicious Turkish dishes
- Market visit to shop for ingredients
- Authentic, hands-on experience in a local home
Full description
Back at the kitchen, we’ll teach you how to cook six of our favorite Turkish recipes from all over Turkey in our Istanbul cooking class – dishes like Circassian chicken, stuffed eggplant from southeastern Turkey, Aegean-style mincemeat pastries and more. Once lunch is ready, we’ll open a bottle of raki, the traditional liquor of Turkey, and celebrate the food that we’ve prepared. For a sweet finale, we’ll enjoy a pumpkin dessert laced with tahini and walnuts and some revitalizing Turkish coffee.
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour through Plaka and Anafiotika neighborhoods
- Tastings of traditional Greek dishes and local specialties
- Wine tasting featuring small Greek producers
- Transportation to and from the meeting point
Meeting point
Start Location
Kurtuluş, 19 Mayıs, Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye
Important information
Know before you book
- The tour is conducted in English; proficiency is recommended.
- Some stops may not be suitable for individuals with mobility impairments due to stairs and uneven terrain.
- The tour operates rain or shine; dress appropriately for the weather conditions.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for the cobblestone streets.
- Bring a light jacket or sweater as evenings can be cool.
- Ensure you have a valid ID if you plan to participate in wine tasting.
Cancellation policy
More than one week before the beginning of the activity: 90% Refund Less than one week before the beginning of the activity: 50% Refund Less than 72 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: No Refund
Reviews
We did the Yanesen tour with Michelle and had a wonderful time exploring corners of Tokyo we were unlikely to find ourselves. The food and venues were very well curated with cultural and historic locations well spaced between eating and drinking. Michelle provided excellent background and context at all times and the pacing was great. Finishing with a drink on a makeshift street bar was perfect. Thank you Michelle for one of the best experiences of our trip.
We recently did the food tour of Kichijoji and had the best time. Our guide, Michelle, was incredible. She was the perfect blend of knowledge, fun and passion, and she introduced us to a diverse range of food offerings and venues. I would highly recommend jumping on one of Michelle's tours with Culinary Backstreets as it was the highlight of our 5 day stay in Tokyo. Cheers, Oliver & Ged
The tour was awesome and we highly recommend. We were expecting a larger group but were excited to show up to a private tour with Kasumi. She made the tour very personal and did an excellent job making the tour feel casual while teaching us lots of new things. She had the cultural knowledge and also mentioned that she continues to learn every time she takes a new group around. Some of the restaurants and shops we stopped at had lovely owners and workers, who were willing to teach us and share their knowledge happily. It was a good mix of foods and Kasumi made sure we were well hydrated and had plenty of time to rest on a hot day. We had a great day and we highly recommend it!