Learn recipes from local teachers. Online cooking lessons that will make your next trip more fun

Nowadays, remote work and online shopping have become indispensable to our lives, and lifestyles are changing. All kinds of services are being provided online, but one that is particularly noteworthy is "online lessons." This is a service that allows you to take lessons from teachers all over the world from the comfort of your own home using free calling tools such as Skype.

This article introduces Cafetalk. The content of the lessons is so wide-ranging, including language, music, art, fitness, business, and beauty, that it's hard to decide which one to take. The most popular are the language lessons taught by local instructors (available in 18 languages), but recently cooking lessons by local instructors have also become very popular, as they allow you to "experience the feeling of traveling from home."

Your first online lesson. All you need is an internet connection and a device that can make video calls.

After registering online, the first thing to do is to find a lesson that suits your tastes. There are over 2,000 registered instructors on Cafetalk. This time, I decided to learn Turkish home cooking from Duygu Tanulku (Instructor name: Momo Sensei), who lives in Istanbul, Turkey. I wanted to enjoy a smooth conversation, so it was also important that the instructor speaks Japanese fluently.

Learning authentic cooking directly from a local is a rare and valuable experience. I'm excited with anticipation. Once you've decided on the instructor and lesson you want to take, send a request for the desired date and time to confirm the lesson date and time. Cafetalk uses Skype, so if you don't have an account, register now. All you have to do is show up on the day.

A video call between Japan and Türkiye! A cooking lesson experience report

On the day of the lesson, I was waiting on Skype when I got a call from Momo. "Mr. XX, Merhaba! (Hello)," "It's 7am in Turkey now," "I'm going to have fun cooking today, so please come along." Her cheerful opening words and lovely smile eased my tension. After a quick greeting, we had time to enjoy some casual free talk. The teacher started talking about all sorts of things, so the conversation flowed naturally. Is this a characteristic of Turkish people? Her frankness, which is hard to believe even though we've just met, is very charming.

As we slowly got to know each other, the cooking lesson began. The dish we learned that day was a Turkish dish called "Hünkambeendi." It is said to be called "the Sultan's favorite" because it was a royal dish favored by kings during the Ottoman Empire. It is a kind of "Turkish meat stew" that combines eggplant paste and lamb stewed in tomato sauce. It is now a popular Turkish home-cooked dish.

It's amazing how hearing the stories behind the recipes like this makes students even more interested in cooking. It also really boosts their motivation for the lessons.

All the ingredients are easy to find at Japanese supermarkets, so I was relieved. When I asked the teacher, "What should I do if I can't get lamb?", he gave me the advice, "You can use beef or chicken instead." You can ask any questions you have at any time.

While cooking, Momo-sensei also shares many interesting facts that make you say "oh wow" to yourself, such as "Turkey is famous for producing olives, so the olive oil is very delicious," and "Turks love butter." I thought that these kinds of "country-specific" things were something I could only experience when traveling abroad, so I never expected to be able to experience them at home... It's a small thing, but it made me really happy.

Since "Hünkang Beendi" is a home-cooked dish, every household has its own "flavor inherited from mother." Teacher Momo said, "My recipe uses less butter so that all students can easily eat it," and laughed, "But many Turkish people like butter, so many families use a lot of it."

While enjoying light-hearted conversation, the teacher's hands never stop cooking. He teaches the tricks of the trade efficiently and carefully. By the way, I recommend that you take a quick look at the recipe you received beforehand, as it will make it easier to follow the overall flow of cooking and help you understand the lesson better.

When the dish was finished, the teacher said, "It smells good. Can you hear it? (laughs)" and "This is really delicious!" His Kansai dialect, which he occasionally uses, was very charming. Finally, he taught us how to eat it the Turkish way, saying, "You can eat it with pilaf (cooked with butter and salt) or with bread."

The lesson with the friendly and gentle teacher Momo was fun, and the 60 minutes flew by. Not only did I learn how to cook, but I also learned some basic Turkish vocabulary in between classes, and experienced a different culture while enjoying conversation. It was a wonderfully fulfilling experience that you can't get from a simple cooking lesson.

Immediately after the lesson, I tried making "Hyunkan Beendi" based on the recipe I was taught. It was my first time trying this taste, but I was impressed by how delicious it was! Through the exotic taste, I felt like I was able to experience a little bit of Turkish culture that I had never seen before. If I ever get to go on my long-awaited trip to Turkey, I would love to try the authentic taste. I now have one more thing to look forward to on my next trip.

An interview with Momo-sensei, who helped me with my lessons

In online cooking lessons, please be sure to actively enjoy communicating with your teacher. Not only can you research your trip by asking about recommended spots, but you can also learn the latest information, including the culture of the country and the current state of the city. We also spoke to Momo Sensei about this.

--Please give us a brief introduction of yourself.

Nice to meet you! My name is Duygu Tanulku and I'm from Istanbul, Turkey. At Cafetalk, I'm known as "Momo Sensei." After graduating from university, I worked for an IT company for two years, and then worked as a flight attendant for an airline for about three years. In Japan, I lived in Osaka for about five years from 2012, working as an English conversation school instructor. Now I'm back in Turkey with my family and living in Istanbul.

--Please tell us your recommended spots in Türkiye.

If you are planning to come to Turkey, the best time is during the summer season from May to the end of September! There are many recommended places, but I would recommend you to visit Istanbul, Turkey's largest city. You can feel Turkish culture and history there.

Other recommended places include the World Heritage Site of Cappadocia, the Blue Mosque, the Aegean coastal town of Datca, and Marmaris with its many historical buildings. If you like marine activities, the Aegean resort town of Fethiye is also good. Recommended places on the Mediterranean coast are Kalkan Kas and the Aspendos ruins. Turkey has a lot to offer.

--Please tell us your recommended dishes to try in Türkiye!

Kebab is a typical Turkish dish, but there are many different types of kebab in Turkey. For example, shish kebab (skewered kebab), doner kebab (rotating kebab), kyat kebab (grilled kebab wrapped in paper), iskender kebab (kebab served with yogurt and tomato sauce), etc. Please try and compare the different types.

Also, the Istanbul specialty "Saba Sandwich" is very delicious. For dessert, we recommend "Sutlatch" (rice pudding) and "Baklava" (a millefeuille with pistachios and walnuts, eaten with syrup).

--Are there any cultural or etiquette issues that people should be aware of in Türkiye?

Turkey is an Islamic country and has the teaching that "women should cover their hair and skin," so it is common to wear a headscarf during worship or at a mosque. However, regulations are looser in Turkey than in other countries, so you don't necessarily have to wear a headscarf in the city. By the way, I don't wear one at all. Tourists generally don't have to wear one either, but if you plan to visit a mosque, it's a good idea to bring your own scarf.

What are Turkish people like?

Everyone is kind and loves to chat! They are good at communication, so they can quickly become friends with people they meet for the first time. Japanese people may not be in the habit of looking people in the eye when talking, but when talking to Turkish people, please try to make eye contact. When you make eye contact, everyone is happy and wants to talk more.

--Is there anything that's popular in Türkiye right now?

Now that everyone is at home (due to the effects of COVID-19), I'm watching TV. The TV drama "Yasaku Elma" is especially popular. It was released in 2018 and is still a hit today. I watch it with excitement every time.

Finally, where would you like to go if you were able to travel freely?

The north of Japan. I've been to Hateruma Island (Okinawa), the southernmost island, so next I'd like to go to Hokkaido. I want to eat delicious food, like cheese, Sapporo beer, and fresh caramel, and relax in a hot spring in the cold. I'd also like to go to Australia, which is very far from Istanbul.

--Thank you, Momo-sensei!

More than just recipes, this is a world cooking lesson

This time I tried out a Turkish cooking lesson, but Cafetalk also has other lessons where you can learn cooking from all kinds of countries, including France, Australia, India, Italy, etc. Some instructors conduct the lessons in Japanese, while others conduct them in English or their native language. Compare the content and find the lesson that best suits your needs.

Experiencing the culture of a country through conversation with the instructor and the taste of local cuisine can be the perfect spice to make your next trip even more enjoyable. We hope that your encounter with a wonderful lesson will motivate you for your next trip.