Diane Kochilas Cooking School in Ikaria
Watch Diane’s “My Greek Table” on PBS – check your local listings!
Learn the secrets of Greek cuisine and long life from Diane Kochilas, famed cookbook author, award-winning chef, and TV personality, at the Diane Kochilas cooking school on the island of Ikaria. Ikaria is one of the world’s famed “Blue Zones,” a small handful of locations around the world where scientists have discovered the inhabitants live measurably longer lives. The secret to the longevity of the inhabitants is usually attributed to, quite frankly, what we would call “the good life”: fresh, seasonal food, moderate exercise, and strong family living. Ikaria is a place of relaxation and stress-free living, where the therapeutic thermal baths, the miles of beaches, the fresh air and sunshine, all combine to create a paradise on earth sure to leave you happy and invigorated (although we can’t promise your trip will actually make you live longer!).
For a handful of weeks each year, Diane Kochilas, award-winning chef, cookbook author, and TV personality, has opened her country home on the island of Ikaria in the ancient village of Aghios Dimitris to those wanting to learn the secrets of “Blue Zone” living and the mysteries of Greek cuisine. All in all, it will be a week of unforgettable memories in one of the most stress-free and picturesque places in Europe.
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Highlights of your Greek cooking vacation with Diane Kochilas
Cook with famed cookbook author and TV personality Diane Kochilas at her cooking school in her home on the island of Ikaria in beautiful Greece. This all inclusive cooking holiday will include:
- daily cooking classes with Diane Kochilas at her island home
- local foodie visits, including a cheese producer, beekeeper, and local forager
- all meals
- transportation for all excursions
- beautiful island accommodations
Diane Kochilas Cooking School Tour Itinerary
Day One
Please note that this is a sample itinerary for the Greek cooking holiday, subject to change based on season. Please keep in mind also that particularly in the off season Ikaria is not accessible by daily flights or ferries. We recommend you plan to arrive a day or two early and leave a day on the departure to make any connection in Athens.
- Arrival and settle in to your room.
- Time to explore this amazing island on your own, or to relax on the beach.
- Welcome dinner with your host, Chef Diane Kochilas.
- Transfer back to your hotel and overnight.
Day Two
- Breakfast, and transfer at 8:30 am for your first cooking class. A sample menu might include:
- Tender lettuce salad with herbs and green almonds
- Dolmadas
- Giant beans with herbs and honey
- Stuffed eggplant
- Lunch to follow, and return to your hotel around 1:30 pm.
- Free time this afternoon .
- “Olive oil for dessert” demonstration, followed by dinner out at a local Taverna.
- Transfer back to your hotel and overnight.
Day Three
- Breakfast.
- Next, a cheese experience, from milking goat to making the cheese.
- Enjoy a nature walk learning about and foraging for wild herbs and other ingredients, including a lesson on folk pharmacopoeia.
- Next, time to cook together, focusing on “Land, Sea, and the Seasons.”
- Lunch to follow.
- Rest of day on your own. (There is also an optional sunset Yoga class.)
- Overnight.
Day Four
- Breakfast and either a free day or a seasonal excursion.
- Around 6:30, head back to the kitchen to prepare your dinner with Diane. The class will feature herbs for a fast and healthy meal.
- Overnight.
Day Five
- Breakfast and your next cooking class might feature “fearless phyllo” and traditional grains.
- Lunch to follow.
- Free time this afternoon.
- Around 7:15 pm off to visit a local monastery, followed by a lovely farmhouse dinner.
- Overnight.
Day Six
- Breakfast and pickup at 8:30 am for a visit with a local beekeeper. Travel to the forested interior of Ikaria to see one of the island’s most accomplished bee keepers in action, and taste some of the wonderful honey.
- Transfer back to the hotel with the rest of the afternoon free for exploring or relaxing. You might have a snack for lunch while you’re out, or lunch on your own during your free time.
- Pickup at 6:00 pm and transfer to your hosts’ home for your farewell dinner. The menu might include:
- Ikarian fish soup with trahana
- Grilled octopus
- Katsikaki riganato
- Your hostess’s special roasted potatoes
- Garden salad
- Galaktoboureko
- Transfer back to the hotel and overnight.
Day Seven
- Breakfast and departure.
Ikaria Greece Cooking Vacation Trip Details
Included in the 6-Night Greek Culinary Tour
Accommodations
6 nights accommodations in Armenistis
Food & Beverages
- Daily breakfast
- 5 lunches
- 5 dinners
- Wine included with all included meals
Classes & Instructors
Enjoy daily 3 to 4-hour cooking lessons with award-winning chef, cookbook author, and TV host Diane Kochilas and her husband. Greek by heritage, New Yorker by birth, Diane is one of the foremost authorities on Greek cuisine, is host of the Greek TV show ‘What’s Cooking Today, Mom?,’ and has appeared as a guest on numerous TV news and cooking shows. She and Vassilis will impart the magic of Ikariaits food, life, and longevityas you explore the amazingly fresh, seasonal ingredients of this beautiful Greek island. From the herbs and wild plants, which you will learn about and gather with a knowledgeable guide, to the wine, which Odysseus himself is said to have drunk, it will be one delectable meal after another. Your daily hands-on cooking courses will cover a variety of dishes, from appetizers (including homemade phyllo) to main courses (much of it focusing on fresh seafood and fish) to dessert. The classes will be bolstered by amazing food artisan visits focusing on the local cheese, honey, and wine.
Excursions
- Cheese producer visit, from milking to making the cheese!
- Nature walk/herb foraging with local expert
- Trip to local monastery
- Beekeeper visit
Transfer Details
- Arrival and departure transfers are not included but should be arranged prior to your trip. A taxi from the airport will run around 60 Euro each way, from the port of Evdilos a taxi will run around 15 Euro each way. Please note that since flights and ferries to Ikaria are not frequent – especially in the shoulder seasons – you may need to spend a night in Athens on arrival or departure. We would be happy to assist you with your travel arrangements.
Not Included
- Liquor
- Personal expenses
- Cost of taxi transfer on arrival/departure days
Country:
Greece
Tour Dates:
Available select weeks for a minimum of two people. Please review our complete pricing details.
6 Nights
Starting at
$4,125
Accommodation Information
Diane uses the one of two hotels on Ikaria, the Cavos Bay or the Erofyli Beach Hotel in Armenistis. (In 2022 she is using the Cavos Bay.)
The Erofyli Beach Hotel has a decidedly Greek aesthetic and sustainable construction featuring wood and Ikarian stone. The rooms feature traditional furniture, WiFi, air conditioning, satellite TV, safe, mini-bar, telephone, hair dryer, and room service. The hotel has a pool and beach access to two of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. (If unavailable another comparable hotel will be substituted.)
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Diane Kochilas Cooking School on Ikaria: Pricing and Dates
Find pricing and dates for the DIane Kochilas cooking school in Greece below, and contact us for availability or to book your trip.
2024 Pricing:
6-Night Culinary Vacation Pricing
US$4125 per person based on double occupancy
- Add US$200 for single occupancy (use of a double room by 1 person)
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 90 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
2025 Pricing:
6-Night Culinary Vacation Pricing
US$4450 per person based on double occupancy
- Add US$200 for single occupancy (use of a double room by 1 person)
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 90 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Diane Kochilas Cooking School Tour Dates
See the available dates below for the Diane Kochilas cooking school on Ikaria, Greece, and inquire for more information. Other dates may be available for groups of 6 or more, please inquire.
2024
June 23-29- please inquire
Sept. 1-7 – SOLD OUT
Sept. 8-14 – 2 SOLD OUT
Sept. 15-21 – SOLD OUT
Sept. 22-28 – SOLD OUT
2025
May 25-31 – SOLD OUT
June 1-7
June 8-14
June 15-21
June 22-28
August 31-September 6
September 7-13
September 14-20
September 21-27
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We can help plan the best Greece cooking school vacation!
Whether you need help with your flights, additional nights or tours in Greece, or more, we are always here to help you plan the ultimate Greece culinary vacation.
We might not be able to pack for you, but there are many things we can help with to make your Greek cooking vacation that much better. Contact us for more information, or you can indicate your interest during check out and we will follow up with you directly! Contact UsYou may also like these other fabulous cooking holidays
Country:
Greece
Tour Dates:
Available select weeks for a minimum of two people. Please review our complete pricing details.
6 Nights
Starting at
$4,125
Want more flexibility? We can customize all of your trip details for you, including:
- Trip length and Itineraries
- Hotels and Tours
- Transfers and Airfare
Let us show you how we can create a complete package just for you. Contact Us