Santorini: Cooking Class with a Chef at the Ftelos Brewery

Santorini’s food traditions make more sense when you are holding the knife, stirring the dip, and tasting the ingredients as you go. At Ftelos Brewery, you cook a four-course Cycladic meal with a chef, then sit down to eat it with a local craft beer. This is more useful than another restaurant meal because you take the recipes home with you.

I like the class’s small size, limited to 10 people, and the way it connects cooking with the brewery itself. I also like the setting choice: an indoor area overlooking the beer-making equipment or a shaded patio beneath 150-year-old vineyards. The main consideration is transport, since hotel pickup is not included and the brewery is reached on your own from Fira.

Key points to know

• Four dishes from Santorini: Make salad with cherry tomatoes, capers, and caper leaves, along with cod croquettes, split-pea dip, and pork fillet.
• Two possible cooking settings: Work indoors beside the production unit or outside on a shaded wooden patio, depending on weather.
• Small English-language class: The group is limited to 10, allowing plenty of direct cooking instruction.
• Meal and beer included: Eat the food you prepare with one Ftelos craft beer, bottled water, and fresh home-baked bread.
• Recipes go home with you: Written instructions make this a practical souvenir, not just a pleasant afternoon.
• Brewery time is self-guided: You can look around at your own pace, but a formal brewery tour is not included.

Cooking Santorini’s food instead of just ordering it

Ftelos Brewery gives you a taste of Santorini that reaches beyond the familiar sunset dinner. The class focuses on modern Cycladic cooking, using ingredients strongly tied to the island, including cherry tomatoes, capers, caper leaves, and split peas.

You are not watching a chef perform while standing safely at the edge of the room. This is a full hands-on session. You take part in the preparation and cooking, with guidance from a professional chef. That matters if you want to leave with skills rather than only photographs.

The format also makes the class social without making it unwieldy. With no more than 10 people, you should have a reasonable chance to work directly with the food and ask questions. English is the teaching language. Chefs who have led sessions include Mike and Katerina, both praised for keeping the class friendly, clear, and enjoyable.

The class lasts about three hours. That gives you enough time to prepare several dishes, hear some background about them, and eat a complete meal. It is not a quick tasting squeezed between sightseeing stops.

Four courses with a distinctly Santorini pantry

The menu is a good reason to choose this class over a generic Greek cooking lesson. Each course points to local ingredients or the island’s broader cooking traditions.

The real Santorini salad

The salad brings together cherry tomatoes, capers, and caper leaves. Santorini’s small tomatoes are one of the island’s best-known ingredients, and the capers add a sharp, salty note.

This is a simple opening course, but simple does not mean unimportant. A salad like this teaches you how a few strong ingredients can carry a dish. You will probably find this the easiest recipe to recreate at home, provided you can find good tomatoes and capers.

Cod croquettes in beer batter

The cod croquettes connect the kitchen to the brewery. They are made with beer batter, so the class gives you a direct reason to pay attention to the Ftelos beer in a cooking context, not just in the glass.

Croquettes involve more preparation than the salad, and the hands-on work makes this one of the more useful parts of the session. You get to see how a familiar fish becomes a crisp, shareable course.

Santorini split-pea dip with dry onion

The split-pea dip is a local-style preparation that brings a creamy texture and earthy flavor to the meal. Dry onion adds bite and helps balance the dip.

This course is especially useful for home cooks because dips are forgiving and easy to serve at gatherings. The written recipe means you can use it later as a starter or side dish without trying to remember every step from the class.

Pork fillet with stout and mustard-rosemary sauce

The main course uses pork fillet with Malt n’ Marvel Stout, mustard, and rosemary. It is the most obvious meeting point between the cooking class and the brewery’s own products.

The sauce gives the main dish a stronger, more modern feel than a plain grilled pork course. You also get to see how beer can work as a cooking ingredient. The finished meal is served after the preparation, so the class ends with a proper sit-down meal rather than a quick sample.

Indoor brewing views or patio cooking under old vines

The setting changes with the weather. On a hot or unsettled day, the class may take place in a special indoor area overlooking the beer production unit. That option lets you keep an eye on the brewing operation while staying comfortable.

In better weather, you may cook outdoors on a wooden patio beneath the shade of 150-year-old vineyards in a bioclimatic garden. The outdoor setting gives the class a stronger sense of place. You are not simply in a classroom with Greek dishes added to the schedule.

Do not count on one setting over the other when you book. The weather determines the arrangement. Both options have a clear advantage: the indoor area connects you to the brewery equipment, while the patio provides shade and an open-air setting.

After cooking, you eat inside the brewery in an industrial-style room. The change from preparation to meal gives the afternoon a clear rhythm. Cook first, sit down afterward, and enjoy the food while it is still fresh.

What the three-hour schedule feels like

The class begins at Ftelos Brewery, which you reach independently. From Fira, you can come by taxi, car, or on foot. Free parking is available if you drive, but hotel transfer is not part of the booking, so allow time to arrange your own route.

The cooking portion takes up the central part of the session. You work through the four courses with the chef, handling the preparation rather than simply taking notes. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. A T-shirt is recommended, and anyone with long hair should bring a hair tie.

Once the food is ready, you eat the complete meal together. Your package includes one Ftelos craft beer, bottled water, and freshly baked homemade bread. Extra food and drinks cost more, so do not assume that additional beer or other beverages are included.

You also have free time to look around the brewery on your own. This is a useful extra, but it is not a guided brewery tour. You can explore at your own pace and buy craft beer to take with you afterward, but the class does not promise a detailed explanation of the brewing process.

The activity ends back at the brewery. That makes it easy to continue your day from the same location, but you will again need to arrange your own return transport.

Why the small group matters

A group of 10 is large enough to create a sociable meal, but small enough to keep the cooking practical. You are less likely to spend the whole session watching someone else handle the important steps.

The class also works well for people with different cooking backgrounds. You do not need to be an expert. The format is designed around participation, and the chef guides you through each stage.

The teaching style appears to be a strong part of the experience. Mike has been praised for bringing humor and energy to the group, while Katerina has been described as kind and clear while teaching the dishes. The names may vary by date, but the important point is that the class depends on an involved chef rather than a fixed demonstration.

The food itself has received especially strong praise. That makes sense given the menu, but keep your expectations realistic: you are cooking a set four-course menu, not selecting dishes from a restaurant menu or taking an advanced professional course.

Is $113 a fair price?

At $113 per person, this is not the cheapest meal in Santorini. You are paying for more than lunch or dinner, though. The price covers a three-hour class, chef instruction, a small group, written recipes, the full meal, one craft beer, bottled water, bread, and time to explore the brewery.

The strongest value comes if you will actually use the recipes. The salad, split-pea dip, beer-battered cod, and pork sauce give you a useful range of techniques and flavors. If you only want to eat and have no interest in cooking, a regular restaurant meal may suit you better.

The brewery setting adds value, too. You get an activity connected to a local producer rather than a cooking class in an anonymous kitchen. The beer is part of both the meal and the menu, especially in the cod batter and pork sauce.

There are a few costs to keep in mind. Transport is not included, and extra drinks are separate. Still, for a full afternoon activity with food and instruction, the price can be reasonable if you compare it with the cost of a separate meal, brewery visit, and cooking lesson.

Who should book this cooking class?

I would recommend this class to couples, friends, families with older children, and solo visitors who enjoy meeting people through food. It is a particularly good choice if you want a break from Santorini’s scenic viewpoints and restaurant routine.

It suits curious beginners better than serious culinary students. You will learn practical dishes and cooking methods, but the class is designed to be social and accessible, not technical training.

Beer fans have an extra reason to choose it. The Ftelos beer is not simply served alongside the meal. It becomes part of the cooking, and you can spend time at the brewery afterward.

The class may be less appealing if your schedule is very tight or if you want a guided brewery tour. The brewery time is self-guided, and the class requires about three hours plus your travel to and from the meeting point.

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible, but the provided details do not explain every surface or transfer point. If you use a wheelchair, confirm the precise arrangements before booking, especially if you hope to cook outdoors.

Practical details before you go

Book with the weather in mind, but do not worry about choosing the cooking location yourself. The team decides between the indoor brewing-area space and the shaded patio.

Bring comfortable shoes, comfortable clothes, sunglasses, and a T-shirt. A hair tie is useful for anyone with long hair. You may be asked to provide a passport or ID card, and a copy is accepted.

Food and drinks from outside are not allowed. Smoking is not allowed indoors, and tripods, video recording, audio recording, alcohol, drugs, and littering are prohibited.

The class offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. You can also reserve and pay later, which helps if your Santorini plans are still shifting. Check the available starting times before booking, since the exact schedule is not fixed here.

Should you book it?

Book this cooking class if you want to turn Santorini’s food into something you can repeat at home. The strongest reasons are the small group, the practical recipes, the four-course meal, and the link between the kitchen and Ftelos Brewery.

Skip it if you only want a guided brewery visit, need hotel pickup, or would rather spend your afternoon moving between several sights. For everyone else, $113 buys a useful, filling, and distinctly local activity, with enough structure to teach you something and enough free time to enjoy the setting.

FAQ

How long does the Ftelos Brewery cooking class last?

The activity lasts three hours, including the cooking session, the meal, and time to explore the brewery independently.

What dishes will I cook?

You will prepare a Santorini salad with cherry tomatoes, capers, and caper leaves; cod croquettes in beer batter; Santorini split-pea dip with dry onion; and pork fillet with Malt n’ Marvel Stout and mustard-rosemary sauce.

Is food included after the cooking lesson?

Yes. You eat the full four-course meal you prepare. Freshly baked homemade bread, bottled water, and one Ftelos craft beer are included.

Is a brewery tour included?

No. You receive free time to explore the brewery on your own, but a guided brewery tour is not included.

How do I reach Ftelos Brewery?

You can reach the brewery by taxi, car, or on foot from Fira Town. Free parking is available. Hotel transfer is not included.

Is the class suitable for wheelchair users?

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. For exact arrangements at the indoor and outdoor cooking areas, confirm details before booking.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is also available.