Food & Culture

Know Your Olive Oil

Know Your Olive Oil

The Ultimate Olive Oil Glossary: A Sommelier’s Guide to Buying, Tasting and Understanding Extra Virgin Olive Oil Olive oil is one of the world’s oldest foods and a superfood, yet…
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My Spice Paste – A Creation with a Story

My Spice Paste – A Creation with a Story

Some ideas are born out of necessity, others out of inspiration. My Greek Aromatic Spice Paste came from both. When I was working on a recipe kit for Cookaway, I…
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Yiayia Gin: A Toast to Grandmothers

Yiayia Gin: A Toast to Grandmothers

Yiayia Gin began with a simple conversation and has grown into something extraordinary. A collaboration with Zoe at Shed One Distillery, it recently won Gold at the 2024 Great British…
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More Than a Meal

More Than a Meal

Have you ever wondered why that bottle of ouzo you brought back from Greece still sits unopened on your shelf? Or why the preserved lemon jar you were so excited…
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The Harmony Plate

The Harmony Plate

A guide to building flavourful, textural and visually beautiful dishes at home Introduction You don’t need complicated techniques or elaborate ingredients to make food that feels special. What you do…
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Seasonal Eating – Lessons from the Mediterranean Table and Cumbria’s Hedgerows

Seasonal Eating – Lessons from the Mediterranean Table and Cumbria’s Hedgerows

One of the most powerful lessons I carry from my Cretan upbringing — and from travelling throughout the Mediterranean — is that food tastes best when it follows the seasons.…
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‘Pick-Your-Own’ Farms – A Vanishing Tradition

‘Pick-Your-Own’ Farms – A Vanishing Tradition

Not long ago, I visited a pick-your-own farm and came away with more than fruit. The lady who runs it told me that her mother had started the farm forty…
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What I’ve Learned About Food and Ageing Gracefully

What I’ve Learned About Food and Ageing Gracefully

Ageing is inevitable — but how we age, and how we feel as we do so, is something we can influence. For me, food has always been at the heart…
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Cooking for Strangers, Feeding Friends

Cooking for Strangers, Feeding Friends

One of the greatest joys of my post–MasterChef life has been cooking at festivals, food fairs, and demos. On paper, it looks like I’m standing behind a stage or counter,…
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Why Olive Oil is the Soul of Greek Cooking

Why Olive Oil is the Soul of Greek Cooking

If there’s one ingredient that defines Greek cooking, it’s olive oil—vibrant, fruity, peppery, and alive. In Greece we don’t just cook with it; we cook through it. It’s what lifts…
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The Feel-Good Plate: Eating for Mood and Energy

The Feel-Good Plate: Eating for Mood and Energy

I’ve always believed that food is more than fuel. It shapes not just our bodies but also our minds, our moods, and even the way we connect with others. Science…
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Sweet Stories: Honey Varieties and How to Use Them

Sweet Stories: Honey Varieties and How to Use Them

When someone tells me they “don’t like honey,” I always ask: What kind of honey have you tasted? More often than not, the answer is the cheap, runny stuff in…
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Food Rituals from Ancient Greece to Today

Food Rituals from Ancient Greece to Today

In Greece, food has never been just about feeding the body — it has always been about meaning, connection, and community. My own grandfather, who was a priest, taught me…
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Food Photography Tips from Joan Ransley

Food Photography Tips from Joan Ransley

One of the highlights of our retreats is the mini photography-masterclass hosted by the wonderfully talented Joan Ransley. Joan isn't just a food photographer — she’s also a skilled stylist…
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