Via Traveling Spoon, my husband and I went to Roustika, Crete, Greece for a four hour cooking class with Ozlem. Our focus was on Turkish and Creten foods. Ozlem and her husband, Demitris, were both charming and funny. We had a great, and beautiful, drive through the mountains to their home, and then back to our hotel in Chora Sfakia.
Erna and her husband Thanos were such excellent hosts, not only with food but history, hospitality and guidance! And wow, what a lunch! They will definitely be a star addition to Travelling Spoon - at least two on the Michelin scale! I was welcomed not only into their home but their hearts as well!
Join Antonia in her family home in Kato Sounio, near the Temple of Poseidon, for a hands-on cooking class. She’s excited to share her Greek comfort food and cherished family recipes with you. Begin your experience with a tasting of typical Greek produce sourced from local producers - cheese, cured meats, olives, fresh bread, Greek yogurt, and honey. Then, step into her home kitchen for a 1.5-hour cooking class. You can choose between two options: a spanakopita workshop or a traditional Greek cooking class. In the spanakopita workshop, you’ll learn to make Greece’s beloved spinach and feta pie from scratch - kneading the dough, rolling it out, preparing the filling, and baking it to golden perfection. Alternatively, in the traditional cooking class, you’ll prepare classic dishes such as Greek salad, meatballs, and semolina halva. As you cook, Antonia will share stories, tips, and family secrets passed down from her mother, offering a deeper insight into Greek culinary traditions. After the class, sit down together to enjoy the delicious meal you’ve helped prepare.
This cooking experience in Athens is perfect for travelers looking to explore local Greek food and for anyone interested in learning how to cook authentic Greek cuisine.
we went to the home of a lifelong Athenian resident and her partner where they prepared, quite possibly the best meal we have enjoyed together during our holiday … and we have eaten very well. Maria is a “home cooker” not a “chef” but one of the most well-traveled persons I have met - funny, hospitable, unassuming and so gracious welcoming us into her home. She is sharing recipes, but I gotta tell you … without the local ingredients - not sure we can recreate any of them in FL or MD. After our meal, they sat down and shared stories and laughs with us! If you have never booked with Traveling Spoon before, I would highly recommend you check them out! As for our menu … 😱 … delectable! The entree came from the butcher - an ordered delicacy from the island of Naxos … Naxos is famous for its high-quality meat from free-roaming animals … yes, we ate goat! 🐐 And it was good! Accommodations were made for our friend who enjoyed a vegetarian meal - all sourced from the neighborhood farmer’s market. The olive oil comes from a friend’s local farm where Maria helps to pick the olives and is paid in oil to use at home.
Vasiliki hosted me at her scenic mountaintop vineyard that has been in her family for several hundred years on the Greek island of Corfu. She is literally the women that wrote the book on Corfiot Cuisine. We enjoyed vintage cheese platters to start, her own vineyard made white and red Rose' wine. She taught more in a few hours about cooking then I had learned in my entire life prior. She even gave me a free copy of her cook book, which I have since used already, and she has her own vintage olive oil, jams and wine for sale. Vasiliki has done years of research on Corfiot cuisine and has her own family recipes that simply cannot be acquired anywhere else. It was the most amazing culinary experience I've ever been to! A must do, on Corfu Island!
Ionna was so welcoming when we arrived. She offered us a delicious herbal tea and engaged us in conversation to get to know us. She was very accommodating for our Gluten free companion. She showed us how to cook the dishes as well as explaining the ingredients we were using. We had a delicious 3 course meal with 3 appetizers, a main dish and dessert. She had wine to go with the dinner. We felt like friends by the end of the meal. She even told us which islands to find some of the ingredients that she used and we searched for them on our cruise so we can recreate the recipes. We highly recommend booking with her.
Our afternoon with Mary was far beyond anything we expected — truly one of the highlights of our entire trip. Mary is a very special person: kind, genuine, and a wonderful host. From the moment she contacted us before the class, she made sure we had all the details we needed to find her home and feel comfortable. Her house itself is beautiful — perched on a scenic cliffside with amazing views — and immediately felt warm and welcoming. She greeted us outside with a big smile, and as my mother said later, “it couldn’t have been a better day.” We started with tea and conversation on her patio, followed by preparing local appetizers (with a little raki, of course!) before moving on to the main meal. The dishes were simple, traditional, and deeply flavorful — but what made it so special was Mary’s passion for Cretan cooking and her deep knowledge of its history and traditions. This isn’t a “restaurant-style” experience. It’s much more personal and real — an afternoon in the home of someone who opens her life to complete strangers and treats them like family. It’s rare to find something this honest and heartfelt anywhere, and we left feeling incredibly grateful. If you’re looking for a genuine local experience — not commercial, not polished for tourists, but warm, intimate, and full of meaning — you won’t find anything better than spending an afternoon with Mary.
In your 3-hour Cretan wine tour and tasting experience, you will enjoy a visit to the family vineyard, a tasting of some of the finest Cretan wines, that will be paired with local ingredients like cheese, herbs, honey and ham. Start your experience at the tasting room with a short video and power point presentation to understand how the Cretan landscape and its grapes affect the wine production. Then drive towards the family vineyard, the field is 5km away from the tasting room and it’s recommended to have a car or van. In the vineyard you will get an opportunity to engage in some of the vineyard work depending on the season – it can be pruning if it’s winter, taking off leaves or branches, or tying branches on the wires if it’s spring or harvesting some grapes if it’s summer. After your short walk in the vineyard, it’s time for the wine tasting! It can either be done in the tasting room or in the vineyard as a picnic under the trees (if you prefer the latter you need to inform Stella in advance, and as it is a picnic you will sit on the ground).
The wine tasting includes 5 wines, which come from different wineries on the island and are made with local grapes. The offered wines can also be chosen according to your preference (white, rosé, red), which again needs to be discussed in advance with Stella and within the budget. You will be given a pencil, a leaflet (which includes information about the Cretan vineyard, the grapes, the way one tastes and appreciates wine aromas and some space to keep the wine tasting notes) and post cards to remember the tasting experience. By tasting different wines (winemaker, style, grapes) it will give you insight to a wide variety of wines that come from Crete. The dishes offered during the wine tasting are local products such as cheese, season fruit, some homemade sauce (bell peppers or tomatoes) served with paximadi (a local rusk), jams, sundried tomatoes and local smoked ham called apaki.
This was the highlight of our trip to Greece! Katerina welcomed us into her home like we were family. She showed us how to prepare several traditional Grecian dishes that were just amazing. As a travel advisor, I have had many incredible experiences throughout our beautiful world and this private cooking class is among the most memorable.
Maria is both an excellent cook, having had her own restaurant for many years, and an experienced nutritionist. She is also extremely knowledgeable about wild greens, flowers and herbs and their uses in cooking and natural medicine. This makes for an experience which is both gastronomically and intellectually stimulating. On top of this Maria is a very warm, gentle but enthusiastic person to be with. She is also highly professional and committed. Her home, which she shares with her lovely partner Nikos, who is a painter and teacher, is the ground floor of a two-storey house. It is situated in an olive grove and looks south over the sea to the other Cycladic islands. It is a modest, functional home with nothing fancy about its interior decoration. As for the food, the tastes are fresh, varied and often unexpected. It is outside the mainstream of Greek food. There is something inspiring and exhilarating about the simplicity and easy availability (all gathered within 200 yards of the house) of the ingredients and the complexity of the palate. It also looks beautiful on the plate. But probably the best thing of all was Maria sharing her historical and scientific knowledge about the plants we were gathering and eating, which often went beyond the actual food we were preparing. This added an extra layer of pleasure to the experience.
Oh my God! This was by far the most fun I have had in Athens. Christina taught my husband and I (and 3 others in our group) how to prepare authentic Greek phyllo dough from scratch in her kitchen. She will teach you to make the ubiquitous flaky Greek dough - starting with flour and water! - and together you will prepare a traditional pie. She will teach you, step by step, how to make the pie filling using seasonal ingredients like wild spinach and other greens and a variety of fresh cheeses (you might mix the filling in the sink since it is her biggest receptacle!). You mix the dough, learn to roll it into paper-thin sheets on her dining table, and layer the pie with the filling. She will show you how to carefully lay the delicate sheets of phyllo in the pan, which results in a light, crispy pie.
Yiota was our guide and she was wonderful. She was very knowledgeable about the food, Greek history, Art, local politics, etc. She was very easy to speak with. We went to 4 different locations that we never would have found on our own. The food was varied, delicious, and culturally interesting. We even went back to one place the next day. This tour with Yiota was the highlight of our visit in Athens. My wife and I highly recommend this tour.
Join Marina in her cozy Athens home kitchen for a hands-on cooking class that blends time-honored Greek recipes with a fresh, creative touch. Over the course of three hours, you'll learn to prepare 2–3 delicious dishes inspired by her grandmother’s recipes, updated with Marina’s own modern flair. You might make hilopites, a traditional Greek egg pasta served with mizithra cheese, or slow-cooked lamb or beef in a rich tomato sauce with trahana, a fermented grain beloved in Greek cuisine. You'll also prepare a seasonal salad using fresh, local ingredients.
After cooking, gather around the table to enjoy the meal you've helped prepare, served with a glass of Greek wine. End on a sweet note with a light, creamy yogurt panna cotta infused with chamomile and honey, a modern take on a classic Greek dessert.
Enjoy a unique Greek food and wine tasting experience in Thessaloniki, guided by a certified wine specialist, Penny. Greece has over 300 indigenous grape varieties, and Penny will introduce you to the country's finest wines, carefully selected from these unique varieties. During this experience, you'll taste five Greek wines paired with delicious "meze" (small plates) to share, a quintessential Greek dining tradition that brings people together. Learn about Greece’s wine regions, indigenous grape varieties, winemaking methods, and oak aging techniques. Penny will also share expert wine tasting tips, vocabulary, and tricks to enhance your wine knowledge and tasting skills. End your experience with Greek food pairings, every dish is thoughtfully paired with a Greek wine, offering a true taste of Greece’s rich culinary and wine heritage.
This Greek food and wine tasting experience in Thessaloniki is perfect for wine enthusiasts, food lovers, and anyone eager to explore the rich flavors of Greece's wines and culinary traditions.
The minute I walked into Angelina's flat I felt I was at a friend's place, over for lunch. A friend I hadn't seen for a long time. We conversed pretty much about everything, dreams and plans, food and travels. It felt right. Along with a glass of wine (served at just the right temperature), that's what great food does, it sets free your tongue!
Enjoyed our time with Stella, she showed us food and culture of Chania, and was helpful answering put questions, very enjoyable:
My clients absolutely had the most amazing experience with Christos in Santorini. They said it was the best cooking class they have ever done and it was a highlight of their whole trip. I will definitely be booking with Traveling Spoon again soon!
After being picked up from your hotel, join Georgia for your souvlaki cooking class in her Mykonos home. This hands-on culinary experience showcases the vibrant flavors of Mykonos and the Mediterranean. Your authentic Mykonos cooking class takes place outdoors in Georgia's home, where you'll prepare traditional Greek dishes. In this 1-hour class, you'll learn to make your own souvlaki - chopping fresh vegetables, grilling meat or vegetables, preparing fresh tzatziki with locally sourced ingredients, and stuffing and wrapping your own pita bread. As you cook, Georgia will share fascinating insights into Mykonos' culture and hidden gems. After cooking, enjoy the souvlaki you helped prepare, accompanied by a glass of Greek wine. This immersive culinary experience offers a true taste of Mykonos, one delicious bite at a time!
If you're looking for things to do in Mykonos for food lovers, this souvlaki cooking class in a local's home is perfect. It's an ideal experience for couples, groups of friends, or families with children who want to explore local food and culture in Mykonos.
Please note: Children above the age of 4 will be charged the same price as adults. The website defaults to charging 50% for children, but since our host prices children and adults equally, kindly add children as adults when booking this experience.
Angelina was absolutely amazing. She has a personality of gold and her food was equally amazing. She was the highlight of my 8 day cruise around Greece. I will return to Mykonos because of Angelina and her hospitality.
Wonderful experience. I would definitely do this cooking class when in Mykonos. Also a great way to learn more about Greek culture.
If you're looking for unique things to do in Mykonos, this private Mykonos food and sailing tour is perfect for you! Ride aboard a traditional Greek wooden boat (kaiki) for 45 minutes to a beautiful non-touristy destination for your authentic private Greek cooking demonstration and meal. Depending on the winds, you may be whisked away to a sandy beach on Rhenia next to the ancient island of Delos (a UNESCO World Heritage site) or sail along the south Mykonos beaches which are more protected from the winds. You will enjoy your meal on your kaiki that has a shaded dining area that will be docked where your cooking demonstration will be conducted.
During this cooking demonstration, your host Angelina will show you how to prepare and serve a couple of delectable Myconian and Greek meze (small plates) and how to pair them with the typical greek drink, the ouzo. This is a wonderful way to experience a serene, spectacular beach location away from the crowds of Mykonos and feel the ancient glory of the area! With a glass of ouzo in hand, you will watch as she prepares 2-3 meze that you will feast on later. Your meal will include additional typical Greek dishes Angelina will have prepared in advance. Your menu may include dishes such as mostra (Mykonian bruschetta), keftedakia (Greek meatballs), tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber dip), melitzanosalata (Greek baba ganoush), gigandes (giant beans in a tomato sauce), Greek salad with watermelon and shrimp saganaki (shrimp in a fresh tomato sauce topped with feta cheese).
Bring your own gear or borrow from the boat and feel free to swim and snorkel in the beautiful waters before your meal. You will return via the kaiki to the Ornos port after your culinary adventure!
Angelina was a delight. We had clear instructions on when and where to meet. We followed her to her charming flat and proceeded to make the most delicious feast. She made all the recipes very accessible to us and will share the recipes. We left with recommendations, knowledge and full stomachs! Highly recommend.
