The clang of pans, smoke rising, smells emanating from the dark pot brewing a rich, dense stew, the sound of crisp vegetables being cut and stir fried these are the smells, sounds and sights that come from a kitchen that is in action. Being a Bangladeshi, it is no surprise that we are all food connoisseurs at heart-- going to the markets in the mornings, braving the water clogged streets and haggling our lungs sore, all for the sake of bagging the freshest and best ingredients to cook a perfect meal. With the rise in food shows and a whole new era of food television, the way we view our food is fast changing. The Bengali palate is now welcoming new flavours. The Italian oregano sits comfortably beside the ground red chilli, the soya sauce next to our 'shorisha'r tel!' We no longer shy away from calamari or oyster, so to bring on the food revolution that is sweeping over the city, here are a few places where you can go to improve your knife skills, and sharpen your learning on the culinary sciences. Lemo's Souvlaki This is a fast food restaurant cum cooking school run by a dynamic chef by the name of Infaqul Islam (Lemon), explaining the names Lemo's Souvlaki. He is a trained chef who promotes healthy cooking practices that he has perfected over the years. There are currently four courses on offer: Breakfast (western style), Soups, Stir-fry and Roasts. All of the classes consist of four sessions of two hours each and the chef provides all the materials and ingredients required for the cooking. Along with this, Chef Infaqul promotes a cooking style that uses minimum oil and salt thus keeping true to the flavour of the ingredients used. After his cooking classes, stirring up perfectly cooked stir-fried vegetables, or the tender and juicy leg of lamb will be no hard feat. The cooking school is located in Pantha Plaza, 63/A Lake Circus, West Panthapath, Dhaka and the course is priced at Tk.5000. Diya's Kitchen This small cooking school located in Dhanmandi 6/A should not in any way fool you into thinking any less of it. The managing director, Diya Farhana -- a petite young lady who runs the show is a dynamic character who promises to bring out the culinary master inside you. There are short courses that last for a month and cost Tk.5000 and the combination of two short courses will result in an advanced course that runs for two months and will cost you Tk.9000. The short courses on offer are of a vast range -- master Thai cuisine and Pad Thai, egg noodles with duck and red Thai curry to name a few. Do you have the palate for Italian? They have that on offer too along with courses on Indian Cuisine, Chinese, European and of course Bangladeshi food. Along with this they have dessert preparation and microwave cooking courses. All classes are conducted in a standard studio kitchen which has all the necessary amenities. All the information can be easily accessed through their website www.diyaskitchen.com Aponghar Catering This is a catering and cooking school institution that has been running for the last eight years and has established a strong clientele on the basis of their top notch service and quality of ingredients being used. The owner, Monira Sultana, aims at providing the best service to her loyal client base by meeting their requirements as diligently as possible. There are a number of courses on offer such as confectionaries, Microwave cooking, snacks, special fish dishes such as Tandoori fish, smoked Hilsha, different chicken curries such as chutney chicken and South Indian chicken curry. They also offer courses on Italian cooking, South-Indian cooking and special occasion such as Eid ul Adha and Eid ul Fitr dishes along with courses on making ice-cream and sweets. The courses are reasonably priced too at Tk. 4000 and above. Their location: House #19A, Road #16 (New), 27 (Old), Dhanmandi. Tommy Miah's Hospitality Management Institute Tommy Miah is a name that does not require introduction. The Bangladeshi chef who has managed to charm British Royals is offering tricks of his trade right here in Dhaka city. With a staff group that is well trained in the field, this institute is bound to meet your needs and at the end of the day you will have a certificate at hand to prove just that. The courses are designed for students who are interested in the cooking sciences, along with individuals looking for an opportunity to learn from maestros and experts. The certificate in Bakery lasts for a month which is the shortest duration of a course here; the other course that runs for three months is Certificate in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts. Moreover there are diploma courses for more dedicated candidates, which take up to a year. The institute is located in Kabir Kunj, House #14, Road #13c, Block-E, Flat B2, Banani. The options in Dhaka for the aspiring chef or home-cook are endless. The availability of ingredients both exotic and local has made it easier than ever to try your hands in new cuisines. So cook away for gluttony is truly a beautiful sin...