Ongoing and upcoming culinary events in Istanbul and Ankara guarantee a spectacular gastronomic experience but also promise a combination of exceptional flavors and aromas of the exotic world. Food connoisseurs have a chance to taste food and beverages from Europe to the Middle East. Those in capital Ankara still have time until Friday to delight their senses at the Italian Culinary Week organized under the patronage of the Italian Embassy. There will be two other gastronomic events in Istanbul. Junior and senior culinary professionals will be ready at the International Istanbul Gastronomy Festival, while Amour LAB at Palais de France in Istanbul will mark Valentine's Day with unique French tastes.Italian Culinary WeekItalian Culinary Week is being held at the Ankara HiltonSA until Jan. 29 in collaboration with the Italian Embassy. Each day of the festival is dedicated to a different region of Italy. The journey started on Jan. 26 with southern tastes, including Scaloppine alla Pizzaiola (a kind of meat dish) and Cannoli Siciliani (an Italian pastry dessert from the Sicily region), while central Italian tastes were served on Jan. 27, featuring Roman specialties like Stracciatella alla Romana (Roman egg drop soup) or the famous Saltimbocca alla Romana (veal in marsala-butter sauce). Today is the northern Italian night, with pesto sauces and risottos. Chef Fabio Foltran is taking guests on an Italian taste odyssey at the Greenhouse Restaurant with authentic Italian ingredients. He will be preparing three menus from Italy's three main regions. On Friday, Italian Culinary Week will close with a gala dinner that will host more than 300 guests. Visitors can also try the Panna Cotta, a Sicilian desert and tiramisu at the event venue.International Istanbul Gastronomy FestivalNext month, Istanbul will warm up with a three-day culinary festival for which 200 chefs from 25 countries will come to the city. Running from Feb. 11-14 at TÜYAP Convention Center, the International Istanbul Gastronomy Festival will house around 25,000 guests from around the world.Turkish and world-class chefs will be sharing an exciting display of food and exchange knowledge during the event. A wide range of culinary competitions will take place during the festival. On Feb. 11, the competition sessions will include "floral sugarcraft," "cupcake," "vegetable carving," "bread buffet" and "3D cake." The next day on Feb. 12, professional chefs will compete against one another in the cake," "pizza," "fish" and "modern cuisine" categories. On Feb. 13, the competitions will continue in the pizza and fish categories as well as in the category of Asian and Far East cuisine. The last event will br the announcement of Junior Golden Chef of the Year and Turkish Golden Chef of the Year along with best university and high school of the year. Participants are expected to compete in 70 different categories.The competition will provide a stage to interact with both Turkish culinary culture and the international food scene. A distinguished jury of 100 professionals will evaluate the works of participating chefs. The winners of the competition will get medals and internationally recognized certificates. Following the membership of the Cooks and Chefs Federation of Turkey to the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) in 2008, the 13th International Gastronomy Festival is where professional chefs can show off their skills. The event is organized with the initiatives of WACS and Cooks and Chefs Federation of Turkey (TAŞFED).Amour LAB at Palais de FranceFamous chef Olivier Pistre, who has been working for restaurants with Michelin Star for years, will bring his special tastes at Amour LAB that will celebrate Valentine's Day in the historic atmosphere of Palais de France on Istanbul's İstiklal Avenue on Feb. 12.Organized by the Consulate of France and Hybrid, Amour LAB will introduce delicious French culinary delights as well as different concepts such as ChocoLAB, FashionLAB, CoffeeLAB and MusicLAB, each allowing visitors to experience French brands. It will be a night filled with music, food and joy. Event tickets are limited.