Seafood Paella Masterclass with Somer Sivrioglu at Sydney Fish Market

Masterclass with Somer Sivrioğlu at the Sydney Fish Market brings hands-on seafood cooking to Pyrmont, New South Wales, Australia. In a three-hour session inside the market's professional kitchens you learn to build a shellfish-forward paella and a short menu of Turkish-influenced seafood dishes while standing at a fully equipped cooking island. Somer Sivrioğlu—Turkish-Australian chef, MasterChef judge and the chef behind Sydney restaurants Anason and Mayandoz, and the now-closed Efendy—leads the class with a blunt, technical approach that suits curious home cooks and seasoned food lovers alike. The curriculum blends Spain’s regional paella techniques with Turkish seafood traditions: mussel dolmas, kadayıf prawns and market-fresh fish sandwiches appear alongside tips for timing, stock building, and fire control that make seafood sing without overcooking. The program runs three hours and meets at the Sydney Fish Market. You work at shared benches (3–6 people per station) and get a take-home recipe booklet plus a Sydney Seafood School apron. Bring enclosed shoes and, if you want leftovers, a container—the school is actively reducing single-use plastics. Minimum age is 12 and children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult; for group bookings of seven or more contact 02 9004 1111 or [email protected]. What makes this class special is its setting. The market sits on Blackwattle Bay's edge and offers instant access to industry-grade produce: plump prawns, squid with bright white flesh, and blue-lip mussels that steam open at a whisper. Students can watch vendors unload the morning catch, then turn that raw material into layered, smoky paella and crunchy, syrupy kadayıf prawns under Somer’s direction - an education in seafood that's both practical and place-specific. Book this experience if you want more than a recipe: leave with knife and timing skills, plating pointers, and an understanding of matching Mediterranean and Anatolian flavors. It’s a social, tactile class that makes learning visible - skilful flame work, scent-rich broths, and the satisfying clack of shells - ideal for visitors who want a culinary memory tied directly to Sydney’s waterfront food culture. The referral link is available at the booking page for reservations and schedule details. Classes are deliberately small so instructors can focus on technique; you’ll share the bench with a handful of other students and then sit down in the Sydney Seafood School’s dining room to eat what you’ve prepared, which makes the session both educational and immediately gratifying. The teacher’s tips include shopping cues at the market, how to use the fishmonger’s knowledge, and simple substitutions for home kitchens. For visitors, solo travelers, date nights or culinary groups, this masterclass doubles as a hands-on cultural exchange - a peek at Somer’s fire-driven Hamsi project inside the market and a practical way to take Sydney’s seafood scene home via recipes and apron and confidence.