Farmers Market visit & Turkish Cooking Class

Perfect day! Can’t imagine a better way to spend time in Bodrum. It was definitely a highlight of our trip. The market was very interesting and enjoyed learning some new produce and the stop in the spice shop was a treat! The drive to the winery where the cooking class was held was itself a beautiful way to see some of the area outside of town. The winery and restaurant was stunning. We had a beautiful shaded area outside where the restaurant’s chef gave us a very personal lesson while we helped prepare several fresh vegetable dishes and a phyllo dish with meat and one with cheese. She offered so much information about the ingredients and the culture as she explained and showed us how she prepares the meal. After it was finished cooking, we all happily enjoyed the beautiful and delicious dishes as a full meal including different wines from their collection. It was incredible! This is a one of a kind location and opportunity to spend time with a very talented and knowledgeable chef on local foods and cuisine who really gives you an insight into the culture of the area.

This was the highlight of our 7-day cruise through Greece and Turkey. We were already excited for this excursion, but every aspect of the trip blew us away. The market was a fantastic experience where we bought so many items (olives to eat while walking around, spices to bring back home to cook...). Our guide was super helpful in translating and even helped us work on the exchange rate of Euros to Lira. Following that was an unforgettable experience cooking at the most beautiful vineyard. Aslı Mutlu is without a doubt the highlight of the trip. So talented, so knowledgeable, so personable, so hospitable, so passionate, so funny. We loved learning her recipes, cooking with her, hearing her story, laughing with her, and sharing with her. This is exactly what we wanted -- experiencing culture through people and food. We had the best day with her, and truly feel like our experience with her was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The food was so delicious too! She is a fantastic instructor. We were so happy to purchase her cookbook afterwards, which she signed for us. The wine was delicious too! We can't wait to take these stories and culture back with us, to recreate and share in our own home. Thank you, Asli, and the entire team, for an experience we will never forget! - Josh and Pam, PA

This experience was the most fun! We started the day with a visit to a local Farmer Market where we sampled foods, smelled delicious spices and fresh herbs, while our guide explained all the items that we were going to use in our cooking class later. After about a 30 minute ride to a beautiful vineyard, we took our spots under a wisteria vine arbor and commenced helping to prep the items for the meal. Chef Asli explained all about Turkish cooking customs as we prepped and made the class interactive and fun. The actual dishes were cooked inside of the winery kitchen so we were more of the prep squad. While we waited, we were treated to 2 different tastings of wines that were made at the vineyard and invited to wander the beautiful grounds. The table was transformed from prep stations to a beautiful outdoor eatery, and the finished dishes were brought out for us to dine on. Delicious food, excellent experience and a wonderful way to spend the day learning a little about Turkish culture.

This was one of the warmest parts of my trip to Bodrum. Belgin picked me up from my hotel, then we wandered through the farmers market tasting local herbs, olives, cheeses, and breads, to cooking together in the most beautiful art filled cottage surrounded by lovely people, it all felt deeply authentic and heartfelt. Every detail was thoughtful, from learning about the origins of the food to preparing delicious traditional dishes together around a long terrace table. More than a cooking class, it felt like being welcomed into someone’s home and culture with so much generosity and warmth. I felt like being at home far away from home thanks to Belgin and her lovely team. Truly special 🙏🏼

The food at the farmers market food was delicious and the explanation of the preparation for each item was educational. The vineyard was beautiful with two Mechelin Stars. I previously was not keen on eggplant, but the way it was prepared was delicious. The Chief was also onsite to sign receipts books.

The market was so fun! We tasted a number of products and learned a lot about local produce. We also enjoyed learning how to prepare the local cuisine and tasting the exceptional wines. This tour is a must-do if you are interested in cooking and tasting local wines.

Amazing excursion. The Turkish food market was amazing. The cooking instructor met us at the market and then took us to beautiful winery to do cooking class

We loved this class, we went to a local market and shopped for fresh produce, spices and food. I was able to pick purchase many different spices for meats, fishes, soups at the market. Then we went to Asli's house and learned so much about Turkey, the people, and the food. The food was delicious and I purchased their cookbook and am back home preparing many of the dishes from her cookbook and the dishes we cooked that day. A great way to spend half a day in Bodrum.

A fantastic experience working with Chef Asli. She was informative and explained everything in a way that it was easy to understand. The trip to the local farmers market was an added bonus. After 30 days of cruising the eastern Mediterranean, this class was the number one memory for us. Do not hesitate to sign up for this class.

Tour was canceled 7:30 pm evening before. So no review. It was most inconvenient to find a replacement tour with such short.