Santorini: Cooking Class with a Chef at the Ftelos Brewery

The best part of this Santorini outing is that you do not simply sit down to eat Greek food. You make a four-course Cycladic meal yourself, from caper-studded salad to pork fillet with stout sauce, then sit down with a Ftelos craft beer to enjoy the results. I like the practical recipes and the setting: cooking beside a working brewery gives the class more character than a plain kitchen studio.

I also like the small group size, limited to 10 people, and the choice of indoor or outdoor cooking space. Chefs including Mike and Katerina have been praised for their friendly teaching and personal stories. The main consideration is that the brewery visit is self-guided, not a formal brewery tour, and transportation from Fira is not included.

Key points at a glance

• A full four-course menu: Prepare Santorini salad, cod croquettes, split-pea dip, and pork fillet with stout and mustard-rosemary sauce.
• Cooking under old vines: In good weather, the class takes place on a shaded wooden patio beneath 150-year-old vineyards.
• A working brewery setting: The indoor area looks over the beer production unit, adding a useful look at modern Ftelos operations.
• Small and hands-on: With no more than 10 participants, you take part in every stage rather than watching a demonstration.
• Your meal is included: The price covers the dishes you prepare, homemade bread, bottled water, and one Ftelos craft beer.
• Easy to fit into a Fira stay: You can reach the brewery by taxi, car, or on foot from Fira Town, with free parking on site.

Cooking Cycladic food at Ftelos Brewery

Santorini is famous for dramatic cliffs and sunset views, but its food traditions are just as distinctive. The island’s volcanic soil and dry climate help produce small, intensely flavored tomatoes, capers, caper leaves, and yellow split peas. This class puts those local ingredients at the center of the meal.

You work with an English-speaking chef and prepare every course yourself. This is not a watch-and-take-notes session. You chop, mix, shape, cook, and plate the food, with instruction along the way. Written recipes are included, so the useful part of the class continues after you return home.

The menu is modern but firmly tied to Santorini and the wider Cycladic region:

• Santorini salad with cherry tomatoes, capers, and caper leaves
• Cod croquettes in beer batter
• Santorini split-pea dip with dry onion
• Pork fillet with Malt n’ Marvel Stout and mustard-rosemary sauce

That combination gives you a good sense of the island’s cooking style. The salad uses familiar Greek ingredients in a particularly local form. The split-pea dip, made with Santorini yellow split peas and dry onion, is a good reminder that Greek food is not only about the usual village salad and grilled meat.

The cod croquettes add a crisp, beer-based element, while the pork course makes the meal feel substantial. Since the stout comes from Ftelos, the final dish also connects the cooking directly to the place where you are eating.

Three hours, with plenty of time at the table

The class lasts about three hours. That is long enough to cook a proper meal without turning the activity into an all-day commitment. I would allow extra time around the scheduled start if you are walking from Fira or arranging a taxi, but the cooking itself is designed as a compact half-day activity.

You begin with instruction and hands-on preparation. The chef explains the dishes and helps you through each stage. The class also includes background about the food, including the history of the dishes and personal stories from the chef. That context matters because it turns a list of recipes into a better understanding of why these ingredients belong on a Santorini table.

The exact order of the cooking may change as dishes require different preparation times. You should expect to move between tasks rather than prepare each course from start to finish in a neat sequence. That is how most real cooking works, and it makes the class more useful for home cooks.

Once everything is ready, you eat the full meal together inside the brewery. The meal includes fresh homemade bread, bottled water, and one Ftelos craft beer. Extra food and drinks are not included, so plan on the advertised meal and beer rather than an open-ended tasting.

Choosing between the patio and the indoor room

The class has two possible cooking locations, selected according to the weather. Outdoors, you cook on a wooden patio beneath the shade of 150-year-old vineyards in a bioclimatic garden. This is likely the more atmospheric option, especially if you want a little greenery and open air during your meal preparation.

The old vines are an appealing detail because they connect the activity to Santorini’s agricultural identity. The island’s vineyards are shaped by a dry, windy climate, and the vines are an important part of local food and drink culture. The patio also gives the class a slower, more relaxed feel.

If conditions are unsuitable, the class moves indoors to a special area overlooking the beer production unit. You lose the patio setting, but you gain a closer look at the brewery’s modern equipment while you cook. For anyone interested in how craft beer is made, that view may be the better choice.

You cannot select the venue in advance based on the information provided. Dress for practical cooking rather than a formal meal. Comfortable shoes, comfortable clothes, a T-shirt, sunglasses, and a hair tie are recommended. The sunglasses are most useful for the outdoor setting, while secure hair is simply sensible around food and cooking equipment.

From preparation to a brewery meal

The meal at the end is more than a final reward. It lets you see how the separate tasks fit together. You have handled the ingredients, learned the steps, and can judge the finished dishes with a better sense of what went into them.

The beer pairing is especially fitting here. One Ftelos craft beer is included, and the menu uses beer batter for the cod and Ftelos Malt n’ Marvel Stout in the pork sauce. That gives the meal a clear link to the brewery instead of treating the beer as an unrelated drink added at the end.

You eat in an industrial-style room inside the state-of-the-art brewery. The contrast is part of the appeal: old vineyard traditions and Cycladic ingredients meet polished brewing equipment and a contemporary dining space. It is not a rustic village taverna, and you should not expect it to be one. This is a modern food experience rooted in local ingredients.

After eating, you have free time to look around the brewery on your own. You may also buy craft beer to take with you. Keep in mind that this is not a guided brewery tour. If you want a detailed explanation of the brewing process, this activity does not promise one. The production area is something you can explore independently.

What the $113 price includes

At $113 per person, this is not the cheapest way to have lunch in Santorini. It is also not priced like a quick cooking demonstration. The fee covers a three-hour small-group class, an English-speaking chef, written recipes, all four courses, homemade bread, bottled water, and one craft beer.

The value depends on what you want from a food activity. If your main goal is simply to eat, a local restaurant will give you more choice and may cost less. If you want a practical skill, a meal you helped prepare, and an activity that fills part of the day, the price is easier to justify.

The group limit of 10 is important. A large class can leave you standing at the back while someone else handles the cooking. Here, the small format should give you a real role in the preparation. The exact amount of individual attention can vary with the group, but the experience is designed around participation rather than passive watching.

The included beer also makes sense as part of the price because it is tied to the meal and the location. Extra drinks are not covered, so do not assume you can order unlimited beer during or after the class.

Getting there from Fira

Ftelos Brewery is reachable by taxi, car, or on foot from Fira Town. Free parking is available, which helps if you have a rental car. Hotel transfer is not included, so you need to arrange your own way there and back.

Walking may work for you if you are staying in Fira and are comfortable with the route, but the available information does not give a walking time or detailed directions. A taxi is the simpler choice if you are carrying anything, arriving in hot weather, or do not want to search for the brewery.

The activity begins and ends at the brewery meeting point. That makes it easy to combine with other plans in the area, but remember to leave enough time to return to your hotel or reach a later reservation.

The class is wheelchair accessible. You should still mention any specific mobility needs when booking, since the cooking setup and the route between spaces may matter to you.

Who will enjoy this class most

I would choose this for you if food is part of the reason you visit Greece, especially if you like learning by doing. It suits couples, friends, and families who want an activity with a clear result: you cook a meal, sit down together, and leave with recipes.

It is also a good choice for people who have already spent time looking at Santorini’s famous views and want a different side of the island. The class focuses on ingredients and food customs rather than another lookout point. You still get a sense of place, but through tomatoes, capers, split peas, pork, and beer.

The format should work well for beginners. The instructions are hands-on, and the class is built around cooking with a chef rather than arriving with professional skills. You should be comfortable taking part in all stages of the preparation.

This may not suit you if you want a quiet, private meal, a formal restaurant setting, or a full guided tour of the brewery. It is also less suitable if you do not want to handle food or take part in group activities. The class is social by design.

Food restrictions deserve a direct check before booking. The supplied information does not list substitutions or allergy arrangements. Since the menu includes cod, pork, beer, and other specific ingredients, ask the provider before you commit if you have dietary needs.

Practical details worth knowing

Bring comfortable shoes and clothing, a T-shirt, sunglasses, and a hair tie. You must also bring a passport or identity card, although a copy is accepted. Food and drinks from outside are not allowed.

Smoking indoors, tripods, alcohol and drugs, littering, video recording, and audio recording are prohibited. Those rules may feel strict, but they keep a food-production space orderly and protect the class from becoming a filming session.

The class is taught in English. It is limited to 10 participants and offers skip-the-ticket-line access. You can reserve now and pay later, which is useful when your Santorini schedule is still shifting. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund.

The most praised parts of the class are consistent: the food, the warmth of the staff, the quality of the teaching, and the venue. Mike has been singled out for keeping the group entertained while guiding everyone through the meal. Katerina has been described as kind and helpful, with a teaching style that made the cooking easy and enjoyable.

That does not mean every session will feel identical. The chef, group mix, and indoor or outdoor setting can change. Still, the format gives the activity a strong foundation, and the 4.8 rating from 33 submitted ratings points to a dependable level of satisfaction.

Should you book the Ftelos cooking class?

Book it if you want to learn a few Greek dishes rather than simply order them, and if the idea of eating in a working brewery appeals to you. The menu is local without being overly complicated, the group is small, and the written recipes give the activity value beyond one afternoon in Santorini.

I would be less keen if your priority is a guided brewery lesson, hotel pickup, or a flexible menu built around dietary restrictions. Those details are not included. For everyone else, this is a practical and tasty way to spend three hours, with enough local character to make it more than just another cooking class.

FAQ

How long does the Ftelos Brewery cooking class last?

The activity lasts three hours. Starting times vary, so check availability when selecting your date.

How much does the cooking class cost?

The listed price is $113 per person.

What dishes will I cook?

You will prepare 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 the meal included?

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

Is a brewery tour included?

You may explore the brewery on your own during free time, 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.

Can I cancel my booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.