Learn to prepare 4-5 classic Turkish dishes in a home kitchen with a local home cook; prepare meze, dolma, kebab, and baklava then eat together
The Turkish Home Cooking Masterclass is a four-hour hands-on cooking class held in a private home kitchen in Antalya, led by a local home cook with deep roots in traditional Anatolian culinary tradition. Unlike restaurant cooking classes that emphasize speed and professional technique, this class prioritizes the family-kitchen methods passed down through generations in Turkish households — the kind of cooking rarely encountered in restaurant settings.
Participants begin by preparing a spread of cold meze: cacık (yogurt whipped with cucumber, garlic, and dried mint), patlıcan ezmesi (fire-roasted aubergine blended with olive oil, garlic, and lemon), and a seasonal vegetable meze. The host explains the logic of the Turkish meze table — small quantities of multiple flavors meant to be shared — and the difference between Anatolian and Mediterranean meze styles.
The dolma course follows, where participants wrap spiced rice, pine nuts, currants, and herbs into grape leaves or into hollowed bell peppers and courgettes. The host demonstrates the slow fold-and-tuck technique and explains why dolma must always be cooked with a weight pressing down to prevent the parcels from unwrapping. Regional variations — such as the use of pomegranate molasses in Antalya-area recipes — are discussed.
For the main course, a kebab preparation is demonstrated: either a classic Adana-style hand-mixed minced lamb mixture seasoned with red chili and tail fat, or a chicken şiş kebab marinated in yogurt and spices. The host adjusts the recipe based on group dietary preferences. Finally, participants prepare a beginner-friendly tray of baklava — layering filo, butter, and crushed walnuts before baking and drenching in sherbet — and learn the distinguishing characteristics of Antalya's coastal baklava style versus the Gaziantep tradition.
The class concludes with all participants eating the dishes they have prepared at the kitchen table. Turkish tea is served throughout. The price includes all ingredients, the shared meal, and a printed recipe booklet. No prior cooking experience is required. Classes are taught in English and Turkish with a maximum of eight participants. Vegetarian adaptations of all dishes are available with advance notice.
Highlights
- Hands-on preparation of cold meze including cacık and fire-roasted patlıcan ezmesi
- Grape leaf and vegetable dolma wrapping using the traditional slow fold-and-tuck method
- Seasoning and shaping a classic Adana-style kebab or yogurt-marinated chicken şiş
- Layering and syrup-drenching a full tray of fresh-baked baklava in Antalya coastal style
- Seated shared meal of all prepared dishes with Turkish tea in the host's home kitchen
Tips for visiting
- Wear comfortable, close-fitting clothing; aprons are provided but oil and aubergine char can splash during active cooking.
- Arrive with a light appetite — participants eat all the dishes they prepare at the end of the class.
- Inform the host of dietary restrictions (vegetarian, nut allergy, dairy intolerance) at least 48 hours in advance.
- Baklava made during the class can usually be packed to take home — ask the host before the session ends.
- No cooking experience is required; the host adapts all techniques to the skill level of the group.
Frequently asked questions
Do participants need any cooking experience to join this class?
No prior experience is needed. The host explains and demonstrates each technique before participants attempt it, and the pace is kept relaxed and unhurried throughout the four hours.
How many people are in each class?
Classes are capped at eight participants to ensure everyone has hands-on time at the stove and preparation table, and to keep the home-kitchen atmosphere intimate.
Can vegetarians join and still cook all the dishes?
Yes. Vegetarian alternatives for the kebab course — such as vegetable-based dolma filling or a mushroom preparation — are available with advance notice at the time of booking.
What languages is the class taught in?
The class is taught in English and Turkish. If most participants speak only one language, the host adapts accordingly to ensure everyone can follow each step.
Can participants take leftover food home after the class?
The shared meal at the end typically finishes most dishes. Remaining baklava portions are usually packed for participants to take away.