Hone your cooking skills this autumn

If you want to master Turkish cuisine, or at least expand your repertoire, there are a wide variety of cooking courses available in and around Istanbul. Whether you are a novice or a foodie, the following courses offered in the city are well worth a taste. Some are taught by expats for expats and others by Turkish cooks, while a number of culinary schools can turn you into a professional yourself. In any case, if you want to dabble into Turkish cuisine and gain a unique experience, check out the following list of some of the best cooking schools in Istanbul.

Turkish Flavours is run by Istanbul native Selin Rozanes, a culinary experience specialist and a member of the Slow Food and World Food Travel Association. As an ex-travel agent, she has had extensive experience leading culinary tours and offers cooking classes for visitors and expats from all over the world with the aim of providing "full immersion into Turkish gastronomic culture." The day starts off with a tasting at the Spice Bazaar in Sultanahmet, which then leads to a ferry ride to the Asian side for a cooking class held in Selin's home in Feneryolu in which a seven-course meal of traditional, home-cooked Turkish is prepared hands-on by participants. Turkish Flavours also offers courses in Cappadocia, Bodrum and Urla.

Cooking Classes Bodrum offers a cooking class for up to eight people in Bodrum multiple times a week, and starts-off with a visit to a local famers market. Participants gather their own fresh fruits and vegetables, meet local Turkish farmers and then head to a cooking class to create a five-course Aegean meal at Erenler Sofrasi in Ortakent. Courses are taught by Aslı Mutlu, co-founder of the Slow Food Bodrum convivium, who also offers a tour of the Milas Farmers Market as well as a cooking class held at her country home on the Tuzla lagoon. The cost for the Bodrum course is 85 euros (TL 244) and the Milas tour is 95 euros (TL 273), which includes transportation.

The Delicious Istanbul Cooking Class, offered on the Asian side of the city, begins with a tour of local vendors in the Kadıköy food market and a ride on the Moda tram, and then continues with a hands-on cooking class with Olga Irez, a Russian-born, Istanbul-based food blogger. The menu generally includes three starters, a main course and a dessert.

Multilingual Dutch chef Eveline Zoutendijk established Cooking Alatürka in Istanbul over a decade ago, and continues to offer hands-on half-day classes focusing on traditional Anatolian dishes prepared in the Cooking Alatürka School in Sultanahmet. Zoutendijk, a graduate from the Cordon Bleu in Paris, is joined by her Turkish colleague, Chef Feyzi, in teaching groups of up to 10 people to prepare a four-course meal with classic Ottoman and Turkish recipes. Instruction is carried out in English although private lessons are also available in Dutch, French or Turkish.

The Istanbul Cooking School offers day and evening traditional Turkish cooking courses in smaller groups of up to eight people. Taught by a series of experienced Turkish chefs, the workshop starts with a visit to a traditional market, and then leading to a class of five different Turkish classics held in their boutique cooking school in Tarlabaşı.

Afiyet Olsun Istanbul offers a variety of workshops in both of their locations in Sultanahmet or Galata, and is taught by experienced Turkish chefs that instruct how to make Turkish dishes such as baklava, kahvaltı (Turkish breakfast), pastries and meze.

Hotel Sarnic in Sultanahmet offers workshops on preparing a five-course meal of traditional Turkish dishes in their hotel restaurant. Enjoy the meal prepared in groups of up to 10 people on the hotel's roof terrace restaurant.

Chef's Istanbul Cooking School, located off bustling İstiklal Avenue in Beyoğlu, has a wide variety of courses offer and caters to groups of up to 12 people. Costs for courses vary according to the wide selection on offer such as Mediterranean and Turkish mezes and fresh Italian pasta and sauces, as well as a handmade chocolate course just to name a few of many appetizing options.

Doors Academy also offers a wide variety of professional and amateur cooking courses on their campus in Şişli. Offered this month are amateur courses on Thai cuisine, seafood, Çilingir Sofrası as well as a course for parents and kids aged 6-10.

The Culinary Arts Academy (MSA) in Maslak offers professional and amateur programs in both Turkish and world cuisine. This October, learn the art of sushi, meat and cooking techniques and macaroon making, as well as how to prepare a number of sugar-free desserts.

Located off the Golden Horn, the Istanbul Culinary Institute runs professional culinary programs such as the certified Chefs' School as well as amateur cooking classes. Coming up this month will be workshops on Italian cuisine, seafood, handmade chocolate and desserts. Courses are offered in both English and Turkish, and this school also has a popular restaurant and gourmet food store.

Learn basic and advanced techniques from professional French chefs at the ultimate school of cuisine, Le Cordon Bleu in Turkey. Long-term and short term courses, which run ten and four weeks, respectively, are offered at the campus in Çekmeköy. The short-term Fundamentals of Pastry and Bakery starts on Nov. 1 and the French Bistro Course begins on Jan. 11. Courses are taught in English; however, they also offer tailor-made workshops for groups of up to 16 upon request that can be held in French.