Cooking in Santorini at Petra Kouzina

Where Are We?

We could have easily been on Mars, or some undiscovered barren planet. I looked out among the arid land with its vast, rocky, dirt roads and the occasional peculiar green plant growing in the dusty ground. There were no signs of life, just a few buildings painted in neutral tones that looked as though they were carved from stone. 

My husband, Arthur, parked the quad and shut down the humming motor. There was no escape from the oppressive sun that beat down on us, happy to have found two victims to shine upon. 

“What happened to Santorini being crowded?” I asked as I removed my helmet and tied my long, sweaty hair into a ponytail. 

“There’s no one here—this is weird.” Arthur threw our helmets into the side bag of the quad and put the keys in his pocket. “Not sure, but we’re at the right place. There’s the sign.” 

Petra Kouzina. We had arrived. Time to experience cooking in Santorini.

Petra Kouzina.

I’ve always thought that one of the most enjoyable ways to get to know a new destination is through its cuisine. But one of the best ways to immerse yourself in a new destination—to wrap your arms passionately around it—is to cook the cuisine yourself. 

Petra Kouzina, a cooking school, is the pride and love of a young Argentinian and Texan couple named Paula and George. With the allure of blue seas, iconic white buildings, and an opportunity for a lifestyle change, both moved to Santorini. There they opened a cooking school inside of a 1950s cave house. 

From the moment my husband and I arrived, something felt special, mystical even, about the location. The space is, without a doubt, the wet dream and envy of interior designers and architects everywhere—I’m sure of it. Petra Kouzina is huge, and perfectly decorated, but not in an intimidating or posh way. It’s so inviting that guests may feel like they’re visiting two dear friends who have an extraordinary home right out of the pages of Greece’s version of Better Homes and Gardens. 

We sat in the foyer and mingled with the other guests while receiving glass after glass of white and red wine as well as appetizers. The room has enormously high cathedral ceilings decorated with a minimalist-meets-boho aesthetic. The decor is as breezy and light as the conversation between guests, which began flowing freely (keeping in proportion with the amount of wine flowing). Stories about “where are you from” and “how did you two meet” seemed to course easily through the mouths of us guests. 

Cooking in Santorini.

Once all the guests had arrived, we moved into the kitchen. A white stone room with ancient-looking mosaic tiles awaited us. Our work station was a very long white granite counter with a stove top at the end. Simple decorative yet practical touches adorned the counters: baskets of produce, bottles of olive oil, jars full of spices, and wicker baskets for storage. 

Paula and George introduced themselves and told us a bit about their personal lives and stories. Paula, originally from South America, was a strong blonde with twinkling eyes in her third trimester of pregnancy. Her husband, Paul, a professional chef, was a charming, tall, clean-cut type American guy with a shipload of confidence and gusto. 

To start the class, George walked us through how to make homemade tzatziki dip and tomato fritters. The slight tanginess of the tzatziki makes for a great hot weather dip and goes with just about everything. Shish kebab? Tzatziki! Grilled fish? Tzatziki! Seventeen vodka sodas and no ability to make good decisions? Tzatziki! 

Both the dip and fritters were a lot easier to make than I imagined. Tzatziki always seemed like this ominous purée which only full-blooded Greek could and should be able to whip up from scratch. The taste of the dip with the savory and salty fritters was extraordinary. This type of straightforward spread reminded me of the simple yet bold flavors of many of Spain’s small dishes called tapas. In Greece, these small dishes are called mezze. The concept is the same—they are meant for sharing. And I can attest that each mezze dish goes great with wine. 

A Love Affair with Fava.

As we moved along with the recipes on deck, we were able to sample something I had never tried before: fava spread. Fava is a yellowish dip similar to hummus and made from yellow split peas. 

There are five things in this world that have changed my life entirely:

• Traveling
• Meeting my husband
• Teaching in New York City
• Becoming a parent
• This fava spread

Really. Don’t bother reading How to Win Friends and Influence People. Just serve them this dip and they’ll follow you off of a cliff if you asked them. The dip is creamy, filling, and tastes like love. You don’t even have to drop acid to pick up that vibe. Hummus is officially Walmart when compared to fava spread, which is undeniably Neiman Marcus. 

Love and Saganaki.

We continued to sample our mezze, and I hid the bowl of fava behind my arm, pretending that I had no idea where it went. Beyond that, I chopped some fresh vegetables to contribute to our Greek salad, which we would pair with the rest of our meal. At this point, I noticed a common theme: a lot of Greek food tends to have a tangy taste. The vinegar, feta, kalamata olives, and onions in the salad blend really well together for that exact reason. 

Between preparing each course, our hosts treated us to a more intimate story about their life together, their blossoming relationship, and how certain dishes or ingredients played a role in their falling in love. Chef George completely attributes his shrimp saganaki to winning the love and admiration of his wife. At the time, he was working on a ship and cooked it for her on their first date. 

To be fair, who wouldn’t throw their body at someone who fed you with saganaki? Saganaki is a flame-grilled cheese that’s crunchy on the outside and melted on the inside. It has a sharp kick with a squeaky texture when chewed, similar to cheese curds. Adding lemon, tomatoes, herbs, and a host of other ingredients including fresh shrimp to the dish makes something of a religious experience.

Moussaka as a Sedative.

Back to the Greek food experience in Petra Kouzina. Next on the list of dishes to prepare was moussaka—grilled eggplant layered with chopped meat and bechamel (cream) sauce. It’s a dish used to put people into a couch coma after about four bites. Seriously. It’s probably one of the heaviest dishes you can possibly eat. Personally, I’ve never been able to eat more than a quarter of a serving without needing a nap immediately afterward. Its sedative effects can probably get you through an eight-hour surgery.

Each pair worked on their moussaka. Inspired by the love story of Paula and George, I decorated the top of our coma catalyst with our family crest. Essentially, I made an “A” out of chopped parsley. I didn’t get anywhere near the praise that I wanted from Chef George. He said something like, “Oh wow, nice,” when what I really wanted was a party alarm to sound off and balloons to fall from the sky. 

Fruits of Our Labor.

After our hard work, we were welcome to sit on the cozy outdoor patio. It’s the perfect spot for entertaining a group—it has the same minimalistic and island-style design as inside, a large cushioned couch, and oversized white chairs. The conversation and wine kept flowing. With the hard work complete, people were more than willing to put their feet up, kick their shoes off, and enjoy the sun. 

As Paula curled up on the couch looking around dreamily, George put the final touches on the saganaki. They talked with us about their pregnancy, their plans for when their baby arrives, and about the places they have lived and traveled. While they talked, some of the members of the group brought the food out and we began passing it around the table. As we sipped wine in the sun and ate way too much, everything felt so natural. The back-and-forth intimate discussions, banter and laughter made it feel as though we had known Paula, George, and the other guests for a lifetime. It felt as though we were a group of old friends hanging out on the patio for a late lunch. 

I looked out toward the same scenery we had seen while pulling up to Petra Kouzina: arid rocky lands, abandoned dirt roads, and alien green plants stretched out vastly across. However, the scene did not seem otherworldly anymore. I felt at home with our new friends and delicious food we cooked together.

Top-Notch Experience.

At the end of our experience, the hosts of Petra Kouzina gave us each a cookbook filled with all the dishes that we had helped prepare. We also had the opportunity to purchase olive oil from the three different kinds that we used during our class. I chose the one that goes best with dipping bread rather than cooking, and to date, it is STILL one of my favorite souvenirs. Every time that I use it, I’m reminded of that joyful and relaxed day full of tons of wine, flavorful food, and new friends.

You can take a cooking class anywhere—but the Greek experience at Petra Kouzina is unique for its intimacy and ambiance. Even with my memory completely warped from childbirth, this experience is still one in which every detail always stands out from my summer in Europe.

Book here!

Or check out my other travels through Greece:
Don’t Skip Athens.
Drunk and Sailing Around Mykonos