A Cooking Class In Santorini: Selene Restaurant

I’m always on the hunt for food experiences that immerse me in local cuisine. Yes, I love tantalizing my taste buds at restaurants around the globe, but I often find myself craving a deeper connection with food during my travels. I want to learn about the ingredients, cooking techniques and traditions tied to the regions I visit. So on my recent trip to Santorini, I thought a cooking class led by the culinary experts at the highly-acclaimed Selene Restaurant would be the perfect way to experience the island’s cuisine…

Nestled in the village of Pyrgos, Selene Restaurant is a food lover’s paradise. Since 1986 they’ve been sharing Santorini’s unique flavours with locals and visitors alike through their fine dining restaurant, wine and cheese tastings, catering services and cooking classes. To say the staff at Selene are passionate about gastronomy is an understatement; within minutes of meeting Georgia Tsara (the manager and sommelier), I could tell that she lives and breathes the food and wine of Santorini. Her energy was incredibly contagious and got me really excited about our cooking class!

From the famous Santorini tomato and fava to the white eggplant and capers, we had a chance to see, touch, smell and taste many of the island’s unique ingredients while Georgia taught us about the agricultural history. The volcanic eruption that took place on Santorini over 3500 years ago wiped out many of its plant species (e.g. olive trees) and left only a few, resilient survivors behind (e.g. barley). Nowadays, with its rich soil and more than 300 days of sunshine, plenty of vegetables and herbs thrive on the volcanic island. Interestingly, most of them are farmed without irrigation, which makes the flavours incredibly intense. I have honestly never tasted a tomato as scrumptious as the Santorini variety…

We also learned about the wines of Santorini during our cooking class. Georgia introduced us to the island’s most common varietals: Assyrtiko (a crisp, dry and acidic white), Mavrotragano (one of the few reds produced on the island) and their exceptional Vinsanto (a sweet, sun-dried white wine). Although the wineries in Santorini have reduced in size over the years, the local grapes yield a range of high-quality wines. I found it fascinating that winegrowers prune vines in the shape of protective baskets to shield grapes from the high winds and intense heat. This cultivation method makes for some unique and low-lying vineyards!

After we sampled the local ingredients and wines, our food journey continued at the Drosos-Chrysos folklore museum where we learned about the traditional ways of agriculture production in Santorini. Located in the same complex as the restaurant, we wandered through the seven rooms of the museum and got a glimpse into the lives of those who inhabited the island in years past…

Following the museum tour, we headed to the kitchen to meet Selene’s award-winning chefs and cook up a few of their highly sought-after recipes. First, we made some tomatokeftedes (tomato fritters) – my favourite! The scent of fresh dill and cilantro permeated through the kitchen as we carefully prepared and combined all the ingredients…

We also learned how to make a puréed fava dish. Rich in protein and carbohydrates, the Santorini fava has as slightly sweet taste. And it’s served at virtually every restaurant and taverna on the island; Selene alone has over 70 different fava recipes ranging from gnocchi to ice cream!

But nothing compared to the delicious tomato and caper sauce we whipped up (which accompanied the grilled pork belly that was prepared by the chef). Made with plump capers, Santorini tomatoes, onions, basil and a generous helping of Vinsanto, the caramelized sauce was to die for.

Since we opted for the short cooking class (€45 per person for the 2 hour experience), we didn’t have as much time in the kitchen as I would’ve liked (if you want to prepare a full Greek meal, I’d definitely recommend taking a full-day or three-day class). But since our friends also joined us for the experience, we were happy to spend our time devouring our creations on the patio, sipping on local beers and taking in the beautiful sunset instead of slaving away in the kitchen.

We started our meal off with the tomato fritters: they were light and tasty! I preferred mine without the pita it was served with – the flavours were just too good to be masked by bread.

The highlight of the night was our tomato and caper sauce. I still can’t get over it! It was well-balanced, packed with flavour and complimented the pork belly and puréed fava very nicely.

We also tried the Dorado fish off their Meze & Wine menu. Baked in parchment paper, it was served with wild greens and caper cream. You can’t go wrong with fresh fish on the island.

We ended our meal with a pistachio-filled and honey-glazed baklava: a dessert I hope to learn how to make the next time I’m in Greece!

With a full and satisfied belly, I left the cooking class experience with a huge smile on my face. Not only did I get a glimpse into Santorini’s food culture, dine at one of the finest restaurants on the island and meet some passionate culinary experts, but I came home with the best souvenir ever: recipes! If you’re visiting Santorini, I highly recommend stepping away from the tourist-filled cities of Fira and Oia and heading to the quaint village of Pyrgos for a dinner or cooking class at Selene!

The cooking class at Selene was complimentary for me and my husband. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own.