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VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Mary

Crete, Greece

USD
$102-$134 per person

Authentic Cretan cooking in Panormos, Crete

Host offerings
  • Rural farmhouse
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Mary

A self-taught cook, Mary is a strong promoter of the virtues of Cretan cuisine, one of the healthiest and richest cuisines in the world. Through the discovery of local cuisine and sharing culinary traditions, Mary feels strongly connected with her Cretan roots. She was born in Crete and worked as a producer in TV and radio. When she was young, her mother always tried to teach Mary how to cook, but all in vain, as her only interest then was to eat! Though Mary obeyed her mother when it came to the family’s organic product business (olives, vineyard, vegetables, herbs, wild greens), developing an interest for history, environment and healthy life. Much later in life, she bought a book about Cretan cuisine - it's history and traditional recipes, and that is how she started to cook. She then became one of the pioneers for tourism in the area and held professional seminars on Cretan cuisine, which was focused on simple, healthy, organic meals. Mary became a Traveling Spoon host because she believes that sharing local home-cooked food is the best way to remember a city that you're visiting and to experience the real culture of the place!

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-20 guests) In her stunning family-owned villa, which is by the sea, Mary has hosted cooking classes and meals for many years now. Her beautiful Cretan home has been a part of her family for many years. It is a short walk from Panormos, a pretty fishing village with a lovely beach and many bars and restaurants. In Mary's opinion, the secret of Cretan cuisine is simple recipes, with high quality local products. By sharing a tasty and healthy meal she aims for travelers to have a rich intercultural exchange and get to know Greek culinary traditions better. A typical meal at Mary's villa may include dishes such as local rusk, cheese and pickled vegetables, grilled lamb the Cretan way (it is called "ofto" and it's known to us since Minoan era), seasonal pie, salad and desert - fruits, or yogurt with honey. All menu's are seasonal, local and healthy, you can also curate a menu with Mary while booking the experience, based on your preferences.

Cooking experience: (1-10 guests) As you enter the villa, you will be able to see Mary's garden and enjoy the panoramic views of the vast sea and the cliffs from the terrace, where you will enjoy your meal after your cooking class. Mary is a strong believer on keeping alive the culinary roots of Crete, and that means to cook with local sourced, organic ingredients, either from the nearby market or from her own garden. In your Crete cooking class learn to cook authentic Cretan food using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Your 3 hour cooking class can be a demonstration or a hands-on class, so don't forget to tell Mary your preference. You will learn to cook a first dish and a main dish - classic Cretan dishes such as ofto lamb or fresh seafood, pie made from local wild flora and fauna and roasted vegetables or a salad. After cooking, enjoy the meal you helped prepare with Mary as you take in the beautiful sunset (if you choose the evening experience). Alcohol is included in your experience price, and your host will serve you either wine (white or red) or tsikoudia-raki, a local alcoholic spirit, as well as herbal tea or fresh juice.

Notes: Please carry your swimwear if you'd like to take a dip in the crystal clear sea, which is just in front of the house. Mary can accommodate a vegetarian diet, please let her know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions, when booking your cooking class in Panormos, Crete online.

Languages spoken: Greek, English, French

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Local rusk, cheese and pickled vegetables
  • Seasonal pie
  • Grilled lamb or fresh seafood
  • Fresh salad or roasted vegetables
  • Fruits, or yogurt with honey

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
The cooking experience with Mary was fantastic, she was an excellent host and the food was delicious. We would particularly recommend the evening experience as the view and sunset from the terrace was spectacular. Mary was very passionate about Cretan cooking but she was also very knowledgeable about Cretan history and culture. We could have sat and chatted with her over a glass of Raki for hours!!
- XN2201IN August 31, 2023
A culinary delight. The cooking experience with Mary was fantastic, she was an excellent host and the food was delicious. We would particularly recommend the evening experience as the view and sunset from the terrace was spectacular. Mary was very passionate about Cretan cooking but she was also very knowledgeable about Cretan history and culture. We could have sat and chatted with her over a glass of Raki for hours!!
- Nicola August 09, 2023
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Mary

$102-$134 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 $102 $102 $102
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $134 $134 $134
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $102 $102 $102
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $134 $134 $134
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 1:30pm-4:30pm 8:00pm-11:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-4:00pm 6:00pm-11:00pm

Meet Mary

A self-taught cook, Mary is a strong promoter of the virtues of Cretan cuisine, one of the healthiest and richest cuisines in the world. Through the discovery of local cuisine and sharing culinary traditions, Mary feels strongly connected with her Cretan roots. She was born in Crete and worked as a producer in TV and radio. When she was young, her mother always tried to teach Mary how to cook, but all in vain, as her only interest then was to eat! Though Mary obeyed her mother when it came to the family’s organic product business (olives, vineyard, vegetables, herbs, wild greens), developing an interest for history, environment and healthy life. Much later in life, she bought a book about Cretan cuisine - it's history and traditional recipes, and that is how she started to cook. She then became one of the pioneers for tourism in the area and held professional seminars on Cretan cuisine, which was focused on simple, healthy, organic meals. Mary became a Traveling Spoon host because she believes that sharing local home-cooked food is the best way to remember a city that you're visiting and to experience the real culture of the place!

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-20 guests) In her stunning family-owned villa, which is by the sea, Mary has hosted cooking classes and meals for many years now. Her beautiful Cretan home has been a part of her family for many years. It is a short walk from Panormos, a pretty fishing village with a lovely beach and many bars and restaurants. In Mary's opinion, the secret of Cretan cuisine is simple recipes, with high quality local products. By sharing a tasty and healthy meal she aims for travelers to have a rich intercultural exchange and get to know Greek culinary traditions better. A typical meal at Mary's villa may include dishes such as local rusk, cheese and pickled vegetables, grilled lamb the Cretan way (it is called "ofto" and it's known to us since Minoan era), seasonal pie, salad and desert - fruits, or yogurt with honey. All menu's are seasonal, local and healthy, you can also curate a menu with Mary while booking the experience, based on your preferences.

Cooking experience: (1-10 guests) As you enter the villa, you will be able to see Mary's garden and enjoy the panoramic views of the vast sea and the cliffs from the terrace, where you will enjoy your meal after your cooking class. Mary is a strong believer on keeping alive the culinary roots of Crete, and that means to cook with local sourced, organic ingredients, either from the nearby market or from her own garden. In your Crete cooking class learn to cook authentic Cretan food using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Your 3 hour cooking class can be a demonstration or a hands-on class, so don't forget to tell Mary your preference. You will learn to cook a first dish and a main dish - classic Cretan dishes such as ofto lamb or fresh seafood, pie made from local wild flora and fauna and roasted vegetables or a salad. After cooking, enjoy the meal you helped prepare with Mary as you take in the beautiful sunset (if you choose the evening experience). Alcohol is included in your experience price, and your host will serve you either wine (white or red) or tsikoudia-raki, a local alcoholic spirit, as well as herbal tea or fresh juice.

Notes: Please carry your swimwear if you'd like to take a dip in the crystal clear sea, which is just in front of the house. Mary can accommodate a vegetarian diet, please let her know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions, when booking your cooking class in Panormos, Crete online.

Languages spoken: Greek, English, French

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Local rusk, cheese and pickled vegetables
  • Seasonal pie
  • Grilled lamb or fresh seafood
  • Fresh salad or roasted vegetables
  • Fruits, or yogurt with honey

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
The cooking experience with Mary was fantastic, she was an excellent host and the food was delicious. We would particularly recommend the evening experience as the view and sunset from the terrace was spectacular. Mary was very passionate about Cretan cooking but she was also very knowledgeable about Cretan history and culture. We could have sat and chatted with her over a glass of Raki for hours!!
- XN2201IN August 31, 2023
A culinary delight. The cooking experience with Mary was fantastic, she was an excellent host and the food was delicious. We would particularly recommend the evening experience as the view and sunset from the terrace was spectacular. Mary was very passionate about Cretan cooking but she was also very knowledgeable about Cretan history and culture. We could have sat and chatted with her over a glass of Raki for hours!!
- Nicola August 09, 2023
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 $102 $102 $102
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $134 $134 $134
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $102 $102 $102
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $134 $134 $134
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 1:30pm-4:30pm 8:00pm-11:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-4:00pm 6:00pm-11:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.