Cooking Class at Anastasia Estate, Rhodes – Local Wine, Hands-On Cooking, and Stories from Around the World
A day away from the beach, in a village where time slows down and flavors are real.
Rhodes is all about the sea, sunshine, long beaches, and whitewashed villages perched on hills. But if you venture beyond the coast and drive into the heart of the island, you’ll discover a completely different Rhodes. A quiet, green, warm, and honest Rhodes. There, in the center of the island, a unique lunch experience takes place every day – far from the typical tourist trail. It’s not a tour or a cooking show. It’s a simple, beautiful day hosted by Jason – a local, a storyteller, and a down-to-earth host.
For travelers looking for more than beaches and all-inclusive resorts, this lunch offers a rare chance to experience the real Greece. It’s the perfect activity for a cloudy day or when you need a break from sunbathing. You’ll find great food, warm people, and an authentic atmosphere – no fuss, no “Instagram tourism.” It’s ideal for couples or even families with older children who want to connect with the local culture.
The Day Begins with Wine – No Rush, No Long Introductions
The experience starts on a shaded terrace overlooking the hills and vineyards. Jason skips the long intros – he simply opens a bottle of crisp white wine and pours it into glasses. That’s the welcome. Then, he tells us about the local grape varieties and how wine is made here – no marketing, no fancy tricks. Just time and patience. He knows his wine – he studied it in France.
A short walk through the vineyard follows, enough to feel the rocky soil, see the sun-kissed vines, and understand where that mineral, slightly salty taste of the local wine comes from. It’s not a formal tasting. There’s laughter, questions, comparisons – white, rosé, red – each with its own story. In the background: birds and the warm midday breeze. All the wines come from the very vines you just walked through.
Time to Cook – But at a Greek Pace
After the wine, Jason invites us to the cooking area. Long wooden tables, fresh ingredients brought in from the village, bowls, plates, spices. There are no strict rules. Everyone cooks together, however they want, however they know, or however they feel. This isn’t a technical course – it’s a big, communal table with people from all over the world.
You start chopping vegetables, making tzatziki, stuffing tomatoes with rice and herbs, rolling vine leaves. The more skilled guests help the others, there’s laughter when someone drops a spoon, and plenty of taste testing along the way. Jason moves between us offering simple advice – never correcting or judging. The vibe is relaxed and friendly. It doesn’t matter how good you are at cooking – what matters is that you’re part of the moment. Maybe you’ll struggle with the stuffed vine leaves or learn how to make a real Greek salad. It’ll definitely come in handy back home!
Lunch – No Menu, But Everything You Need
Once everything is ready, it’s time for the best part – lunch, served outdoors under the Rhodes sky. There’s no printed menu, but the table is full of everything you helped prepare. Not exactly your own dishes (that would be tricky), but the same recipes, already beautifully cooked by the hosts – plus many extras. You know how Greek meals are… Fresh salads, stuffed vegetables, local cheeses, homemade bread. Everything tastes amazing. Maybe it’s because you used your own hands to cook. Or because you spent the day in fresh air, drinking local wine and talking to people from around the world as if you’d known them for years.
The atmosphere is intimate yet open. No loud music, no chaos. Just long conversations – sometimes in several languages – and that rare feeling that everyone’s having a good time without even trying.
A Lunch That Fills You Differently
The experience ends quietly – no applause, no group selfies. Jason thanks you simply and wishes you a safe journey. And you leave with a bottle of wine in your backpack, maybe a recipe scribbled on a napkin, and the impression that you’ve just lived something that can’t be captured in a travel brochure. Later, you’ll get an email with recipes and a warm thank-you from your host.
This is an experience for those who want to discover the deeper, authentic side of Greece – no gimmicks. You don’t go there to “master Greek cuisine,” but to feel what it’s like to be part, even for a few hours, of a simple, open, and welcoming community.
Useful Info for the Curious:
- Location: Apollona Village, in the central-northern part of Rhodes
- Duration: Around 4 hours, from midday to afternoon
- What’s included: A short vineyard tour, local wine tasting, hands-on cooking session, full lunch
- Participants: International – from Europe, America, Australia, etc.
- Host: Jason – relaxed, well-organized, attentive to everyone
- Booking: Available here: Cooking Experience in Rhodes with Jason – Viator
If you want to see a different side of Rhodes – one that has nothing to do with rushed tourists, beach bars, or souvenirs – then lunch with Jason in Apollona is just what you need. It’s about simple flavors, good wine, great people, and a much-needed break from it all.
Here’s a short glimpse of the experience, told by Jason himself:
It might not look like a spectacular experience on the outside, but it’s one that stays with you. And that, more often than not, is what truly matters.
