Greek Cooking Class — Traditional Peloponnesian Recipes

The Greek Cooking Class — Traditional Peloponnesian Recipes is a 4-hour hands-on experience operated by Cooking Greece — Nafplio, led by chef and food educator Maria Stavridou from a dedicated cooking school in Nafplio's old town (Staikopoulou area). The school has been operating since 2016, drawing on Stavridou's background in both professional kitchens and the agrarian food traditions of the Argolida and Arcadia regions of the Peloponnese.

Each session begins with a short market visit to a nearby shop where participants choose the day's seasonal ingredients — olive oil, herbs, vegetables, and cheese — before moving to the kitchen. Four dishes form the core of the class: moussaka (layered aubergine and minced meat with béchamel), spanakopita (filo pastry with spinach and Feta), tzatziki (strained yoghurt with cucumber and garlic), and a traditional Horiatiki salad. Participants prepare each dish under instruction, learning knife skills, spice ratios, and béchamel technique at a pace suited to beginners and confident enough to engage experienced home cooks.

The session closes with a sit-down meal of the prepared dishes, accompanied by a glass of wine from the Nemea or Tiryns appellation or a soft drink. A recipe card for all four dishes is provided in English to take home. The price of €80 per person includes the market visit, all ingredients, the meal, and one drink; personal purchases and additional drinks are excluded. Groups are capped at 8 participants, maintaining a genuinely hands-on chef ratio. Instruction is in English; Greek sessions can be arranged for private groups. Vegetarian modifications of the moussaka are available with advance notice; gluten-free alternatives for the filo can be accommodated on request.