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FOCUSING ON THE FOOD & NOT ON THE EGO OF THE CHEF
Because we are entering the new culinary season and our eyes will see many new things and many of our palates will taste, I am sitting and “koutalometro (counting using a tea spoon), as my grandmother would say, the emerging summer memories. The sweetest and strongest was that of the cook at the restaurant MAZI in Syros. I've been observing her for two full days, feeling her gentle stride as she carries the groceries for her daily cooking. After I tasted her food, it was meaningful, substantive, and infused with the scents of the Cyclades. Many dishes acrobat on a dangerous balance in putting together strange materials, but while swallowing the last bite, you know that the finale is magically completely successful. Note her name; she is called MARIA KRINA and whatever she touches reflects the enthralling, scintillating energy of the person who feeds people with a distinctive passion for food and not with one’s ego. I am writing this as we enter the new culinary season, and there is a great risk of savoring food focusing on the ego of the chef! While this may have been thrilling in previous eras, it no longer embodies the essence of our current times.
Mirsini Lambraki
chef, and author of culinary books“Long live the weeds & the wilderness yet!” [a quote from a British poet….]
Below is a little review of our day with you in case this – or any part of it – should be useful in any way:Gathering wild plants and learning to cook with them in Maria’s island kitchen was a magical and unforgettable experience. There is something satisfying and wholesome about this approach to the land and to cooking. It nourishes the soul as well as the body, and teaches respect for the land. Maria is a knowledgeable and delightful guide who has a relaxed and easy approach. We scrambled over rocks to the sound of the sea in the tiny cove near her home, gathering sea fennel, and foraged on the hillside for wild carrot, thyme, capers, and many more herbs and seeds. We then returned to her kitchen, where we drank an infusion of wild herbs to refresh us, before we began chopping and preparing our lunch, using the wild food we had gathered together with other ingredients. I was particularly taken with Maria’s use of infusions to cook grains. The food was utterly delicious. Maria is, I think, rather special… Thank you and hope to spend another wonderful day in the future on the hill and in the kitchen with you!
Laura
Highly recommended!
My first experience of Maria’s seminars was when I attended a hands-on workshop on making salads using local wild greens, plants, herbs and edible flowers. Even if I consider myself an experienced cook always researching on anything food-related, I was surprised about the new things I learned and unexpected ways to use already known ingredients. Since then I attended several other workshops and seminars, focused on the use of herbs and spices, cereals, food combinations and local cuisine. My knowledge has significantly expanded and deepened, and my perspective has changed, and for that I will always be grateful. Maria’s vast knowledge of herbs and their qualities, along with her big experience as a chef specializing on the regional cuisine of the Cyclades, make her seminars unique for health-conscious foodies who wish to get an insight on the Cycladic culinary tradition. What’s more, her personality, gift for teaching, love for what she does and desire to share it with others, make her classes a pure delight. Highly recommended!
Elisa
Highly professional & committed
Maria is both an excellent cook, having had her own restaurant for many years, and an experienced nutritionist. She is also extremely knowledgeable about wild greens, flowers and herbs and their uses in cooking and natural medicine. This makes for an experience which is both gastronomically and intellectually stimulating. On top of this Maria is a very warm, gentle but enthusiastic person to be with. She is also highly professional and committed. Her home, which she shares with her lovely partner Nikos, who is a painter and teacher, is the ground floor of a two-storey house. It is situated in an olive grove and looks south over the sea to the other Cycladic islands. It is a modest, functional home with nothing fancy about its interior decoration. As for the food, the tastes are fresh, varied and often unexpected. It is outside the mainstream of Greek food. There is something inspiring and exhilarating about the simplicity and easy availability (all gathered within 200 yards of the house) of the ingredients and the complexity of the palate. It also looks beautiful on the plate. But probably the best thing of all was Maria sharing her historical and scientific knowledge about the plants we were gathering and eating, which often went beyond the actual food we were preparing. This added an extra layer of pleasure to the experience.
Rupert
Learning to cook with love
Maria, I have been meaning to write to you to thank you for your cooking class! What I appreciated most about your class was learning to cook with love. My family comes tomorrow and you can bet we will be making the mandala salad together. Now off to clean and get ready. Sending love from across the globe. Have a wonderful evening!
Becky Huling
Foraging & cooking with Maria
Meeting Maria was one of the best experiences of my trip. I am a chef in Australia and teach cooking classes myself, but spending time with Maira really opened my eyes to a lot of new ideas about food I'd never thought about before. She has great knowledge about edible weeds in Syros and their uses. The class and meal were so interesting that they flew by. I would strongly recommend going to see Maria if you have time. I went to Syros exclusively to take a class with her, and I'm so happy I did.
Ella M.
A truly wonderful day cooking & learning with Maria
The four of us thoroughly enjoyed our day with Maria, who is knowledgeable, an experienced cook, a great teacher, and a fascinating person. We foraged, cooked, ate, talked, learned, discussed, laughed, and shared. This is a delightful experience on so many levels. If you're considering booking this experience, consider no longer; just do it. There are not enough words to describe this extraordinary woman and her wonderfully holistic approach to life. Enjoy!
Ohiwa Jo
Amazing experience
Maria is just amazing. She had us gather some herbs with her in the most amazing view and cook authentic Greek food at her house. We had a lot of fun, and we recommend that anybody who’s around Syros should go and cook with her. We just had a wonderful and memorable time! Until next time!
Shemer
Wonderful experience
My husband and I had a wonderful time foraging and cooking with Maria—it was one of the best experiences we had in Syros. We enjoyed learning about the local ingredients around her home, and even more when we turned them into creative dishes. I'm a vegetarian, and everything we made was perfect for me and absolutely delicious. The highlight was eating the meal together and talking about Syros and Maria's life and experiences. If you're looking for a cooking class on Syros, I definitely recommend it!
Adrian Granzella
A unique cooking class
Maria’s cooking class was unique and fascinating ; a wonderful blend of local ingredients and authentic Greek cuisine with Maria’s special take. Maria is so welcoming and kind. The meal was delicious and we highly recommend this experience.
Kim_P
Amazing - much more than a 'cooking school'
Maria and Nikos are amazing hosts. This is much more than a 'cooking school'. If you enjoy genuine warmth, cooking that is more than 'follow the instructions', value natural ingredients, and want to experience unique local dishes blended with a deeper understanding of how herbs can impact your overall well-being, then this adventure is for you. The school is hosted in a small kitchen in their garden, 15 mins taxi from the main town, and we were there for several hours as we chatted, created dishes, experimented with wild herbs and vegetables, and created some memories. After we cooked, we ate on the patio with Maria and her husband, Nikos, an artist. They are two of the most genuine, warm, and welcoming people you will ever have the good fortune to meet. We remain in touch (Maria shares the recipes afterward by email), and Syros is such a naturally beautiful island, that you'll find this an amazing way to spend a day.
Burntisland B.
Much more than a cooking class - just book it! Best day ever
Simply put, this was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. First of all, the setting is gorgeous, tucked away in nature with beautiful views and beautiful art. Instant peace. Maria has so much culinary knowledge, experience, and a deep appreciation and respect for all kinds of Greek ingredients, so it was a fascinating opportunity to try local, organic ingredients (which include but extend way beyond the staples) and learn about their healing properties. This was more than a cooking class, the cooking portion was unique and so much fun, and savoring each component was an eye-opening experience. Enjoying dinner with Maria and Niko was wonderful; they’re kind, fascinating, and inspiring people.. I was traveling solo, but they made me feel like I was spending an afternoon with my family. This was the highlight of my time in Greece, and I look forward to seeing them again in the future.
Desiree B.
Cooking experience with Maria Krina in Syros
We spent an incredible day with Maria - she has a wealth of knowledge to share about Greek cooking and traditions, how to forage for and use herbs and spices in cooking as well as for health and well-being, and for being so generous and kind in all she does. The experience that Maria offers is truly one of a kind, leaving you with a greater knowledge, passion, and respect for food and cooking, and that simple, quality ingredients cooked with love and care are the most nourishing for the body, mind, and soul. It was a highlight of our trip to the Greek Islands. We cannot thank Maria and her wonderful helper, Eleni, enough for such an amazing day.
Morgan & Leona
The most wonderful culinary experience
Maria, thank you for sending us the recipes and the photos. We shall enjoy repeating some of the meals and will hopefully work out how to download the photos. Thank you for the most wonderful culinary experience that we had with you on August 28th this year. To be able to fire the imaginations of 8 people aged from 12 to 84 is no mean feat, but that is what you did effortlessly! We all had a fabulous time and were educated and inspired as well as entertained. Your kind thoughtfulness to my mother was lovely- she had a birthday to remember and memories that she will cherish. Once again thank you. I recommend your cooking experience to all and hope that many others enjoy the kind of evening that we had.
Elaine Fisher
Abbiamo trascorso una giornata bellissima in compagnia di Maria, che con disponibilità , passione, semplicità , competenza e simpatia, ha condiviso con noi le sue grandi conoscenze della natura circostante e ci ha guidati nella preparazione di un pranzo eccellente e genuino. E' stata molto di più di una " lezione " di cucina ... E' stata una " lezione " di vita ... una esperienza che consigliamo a tutti di donarsi ! Per noi sarà fra i ricordi più belli e preziosi di questo nostro soggiorno a Syros! Grazie ancora a Maria per aver reso possibile tutto questo.
Giuseppe G
A truly wonderful meal & experience!
Maria is incredible! Her knowledge about local herbs and spices in cooking and how it relates to your health is unprecedented! One comes to Syros to be off the beaten path to get true local color. Maria doesn’t disappoint! I only wish we could bring her to America to cook for us! Thank you Maria for a truly wonderful meal and experience!
Robert
An unforgettable moment from our trip
My girlfriend and I were lucky enough to spend the afternoon with Maria in Syros. Her wonderful hospitality made both of us instantly feel so at home. Her knowledge and passion for Greek food was amazing and kept us very interested along the way. And the cherry on top was getting to share some delicious food altogether. Overall it was an unforgettable moment from our trip and we would recommend this to anyone visiting Syros! We are looking forward to coming back to see Maria!!
Nicolas
The whole experience was relaxing & delicious!
We had a wonderful day with Maria, making some traditional Greek vegan and vegetarian recipes and foraging locally for herbs. Maria was knowledgeable and gentle with instructions, and the whole experience was relaxing - and delicious! She was also respectful of my dietary requirements (gluten and dairy). We made a lunchtime feast of many dishes which we enjoyed together on the terrace after 4 happy hours in the kitchen. Highlights were the parsley and potato dish and making a ‘mandala’ salad. Highly recommend this on Syros - worth a trip there to meet Maria and learn about her cooking philosophies.
Fam of 3, 2024-05-31
Maria's Conscious Cooking in Greece is much more than preparing meals; it's a culinary journey that celebrates the richness of local ingredients, respect for the seasons, and harmony with nature. By adopting a conscious approach to cooking, we reconnect with tradition while taking care of our health and our environment. Embrace conscious cooking with Maria in Syros and be inspired by the Greek art of living, where every meal is a celebration of life.
Carol Dalmas
Cook & eat consciously
Maria invites us with infinite kindness to develop the awareness that “we are what we eat." A way of Being and doing, new habits, a posture towards food that honors the living. This is a very interesting workshop, that can be integrated into and completed in any course that aims to develop the Being and more congruence in our daily lives. A big thank-you.
Catherine B.
Wonderful cooking experience
Very sweet and kind teaching experience. Maria gave us all her light and love! Amazing, easy, and tasteful food made of all Maria’s knowledge and her personal herb collection on Syros island. Also a sharing moment with friends in mindfulness and laughter. Eleni's kindness was the “cherry on the cake”!
Elisabeth R.
One of the highlights of our time in Syros
Maria’s cooking class was one of the highlights of my time in Syros. I learned not only about cooking local cuisine but also about the importance of mindful eating. I loved that the recipes were vegetarian and that there was a gluten-free option. The info about local wild herbs was enlightening. I can’t recommend it highly enough if you’re into herbs, cooking, and culture.
Courtney Radmall
Maria’s cooking and foraging class was a session in mindfulness, health, community, and an exceptional education on the local flora! We not only had a fantastic time bonding as a group of friends, but we also learned tips for cooking all sorts of new foods and the health benefits of all of them. My absolute favorite part, however, was seeing, smelling, and tasting the flavors of the local plants/herbs. Following Maria’s class, I did several miles of hiking throughout Syros and the Cyclades, and I am still excited to pick out and name the many plants we see along the side of the road that we learned about in her class! I never would’ve been able to do that without her expertise. It was such a rewarding experience and it was one of my absolute favorite activities on Syros!
J. R.
