Santorini: Cooking Class with a Chef at the Ftelos Brewery

The best part of this Santorini activity is that you do not just eat Greek food, you help make it. At Ftelos Brewery, an English-speaking chef guides you through a four-course Cycladic menu, from Santorini cherry tomatoes and capers to pork fillet with stout and rosemary. Chefs including Mike and Katerina have led sessions, so the tone may be warm and personal rather than formal.

I like the small group of up to 10 and the setting. You may cook indoors with a view of the beer production area or outside beneath 150-year-old vines, depending on the weather. The meal comes with a Ftelos craft beer, homemade bread, and written recipes. The main drawback is that you must arrange your own way to the brewery, and the brewery visit is self-guided rather than led.

Key points at a glance

• A proper four-course meal: You cook Santorini salad, beer-battered cod croquettes, split-pea dip, and stout-sauced pork.
• Cooking is hands-on: You take part in every stage, rather than watching a chef do the work.
• Two possible cooking settings: Choose no setting yourself, since weather determines whether the class is indoors or on the shaded patio.
• Beer belongs on the plate and in the glass: The meal includes one Ftelos craft beer, with extra drinks available to buy.
• A useful souvenir: Written recipes let you repeat the dishes at home after your holiday.
• Easy from Fira by car or taxi: Free parking helps, but hotel transfer is not included.

Why this class is different from a standard Santorini meal

Santorini is famous for its views, sunsets, and whitewashed villages. Food can get pushed to the side, treated as fuel between photo stops. This class gives you three hours to slow down and learn why local ingredients matter.

The menu is not a generic Greek restaurant sampler. It uses ingredients closely tied to Santorini and the Cyclades: cherry tomatoes, capers, caper leaves, split peas, local-style bread, fish, pork, mustard, rosemary, and beer. You get to see how familiar ingredients become several different dishes.

I especially like the balance between local tradition and modern cooking. The Santorini salad keeps the island’s best-known flavors in clear view, while the cod croquettes use beer batter and the pork is finished with Malt n’ Marvel Stout. This is Greek cooking with a brewery twist, not a museum piece.

The lesson also gives you a practical skill. You receive the recipes in writing, so you can try the meal again at home. That is a better souvenir than another small bottle of olive oil that may or may not survive the flight.

Arriving at Ftelos Brewery from Fira

You reach the brewery by taxi, car, or on foot from Fira Town. Free parking is available, which makes this a useful choice if you already have a rental car. Since hotel pickup is not included, check your route before booking and allow enough time to arrive without rushing.

The activity begins and ends at the brewery. Its three-hour length fits neatly into a morning or afternoon, but starting times vary, so check the available schedule before you commit. You will want comfortable clothes and shoes. Cooking is active work, and the instructions specifically suggest a T-shirt, sunglasses, and a hair tie.

Bring a passport or identity card, or a copy. Food and outside drinks are not allowed, and indoor smoking, tripods, video recording, audio recording, drugs, alcohol, and littering are prohibited. These rules are worth noting if you hoped to film a cooking reel or bring your own bottle for the meal.

Cooking beneath 150-year-old vines

Weather decides where the class takes place. On a pleasant day, you cook outside on a wooden patio under the shade of old vineyards in a bioclimatic garden. That sounds like the more atmospheric option, especially for visitors who want a setting that feels tied to the island rather than tucked inside a standard demonstration kitchen.

If conditions are not suitable, the class moves to a special indoor area overlooking the beer production unit. You lose some open-air charm, but you gain a direct view of the brewery’s working side. Either setting keeps the food and beer connected.

Do not expect a passive demonstration. This is a full hands-on workshop, and you participate in all stages of cooking. The chef gives instruction in English and helps the group work through the dishes. With a maximum of 10 people, you should have a better chance to ask questions and get help than in a large class.

The class has been led by chefs such as Mike and Katerina. Mike has been described as fun and entertaining, while Katerina has been noted for her kind teaching style. Since staffing can change, treat those names as examples of the people who may lead the session, not a guarantee for your date.

The four-course Cycladic menu

Santorini salad with tomatoes, capers, and caper leaves

The meal begins with what is called the real Santorini salad. Cherry tomatoes take the place of the watery tomatoes you may find elsewhere, while capers and caper leaves bring a sharp, salty note.

This first course is a useful introduction because it shows how a few strong ingredients can do most of the work. You learn to handle products that are closely linked with the island rather than relying on a long ingredient list.

Cod croquettes in beer batter

Next come cod croquettes, fried in beer batter. The brewery setting makes this course especially fitting. The beer is not only something to sip alongside the food, it also becomes part of the cooking.

This is one of the more practical lessons for home cooks. You learn how a familiar fish can be turned into a crisp shared dish, with the beer adding a local connection. It also gives the class a little variety: the menu moves from a fresh salad to something hot and crunchy.

Santorini split-pea dip with dry onion

The split-pea dip brings another classic island flavor to the table. Served with dry onion, it is simple, filling, and suited to sharing with bread.

Freshly baked homemade bread is included, which matters here. You are not left with a dip and nothing to scoop it up with. The bread also helps turn the early courses into part of a complete meal rather than a series of small tastes.

Pork fillet with stout and mustard-rosemary sauce

The main course is pork fillet with Malt n’ Marvel Stout and a mustard-rosemary sauce. It is the boldest dish of the four and the clearest example of the brewery’s role in the menu.

The stout gives the sauce a darker, fuller character, while mustard and rosemary add sharpness and fragrance. It is also the course most likely to reward careful attention during the lesson, since sauces depend on timing and balance. The chef can explain the method as you work, then you sit down and eat what the group has prepared.

Sitting down to eat what you made

Once the food is ready, you eat the full meal together in an industrial-style room inside the state-of-the-art brewery. One Ftelos craft beer and bottled water are included, along with the homemade bread.

That shared meal is important. Cooking classes can feel rushed if the final dish is only a quick taste before everyone leaves. Here, the meal is the payoff for the work, and it gives you time to enjoy the food as a group.

Extra food and drinks are not included, so budget for additional purchases if you want more beer or something else from the brewery. The included beer is enough to connect the meal with the venue, but it is not a full tasting flight.

The food itself receives strong praise in the available feedback. People describe the meal as delicious, educational, and a good way to connect with Greek culture through its cooking. That matches the structure of the class: you learn the story and method behind each dish, then eat the results while they are fresh.

Exploring the brewery after lunch

You have free time to explore Ftelos Brewery on your own. This is not a guided brewery tour, so you should not expect a staff member to explain each piece of equipment or walk you through the production process.

The upside is flexibility. You can look around at your own pace, take in the production area, and buy craft beer to take with you afterward. If you are interested in beer-making, the indoor cooking area’s view of the production unit adds another layer to the visit.

The self-guided format may disappoint you if the brewery itself is your main reason for booking. If the cooking class is your priority, it works well: the brewery provides the setting, the beer, and the unusual cooking ingredient without taking over the whole afternoon.

Is $113 a fair price?

At $113 per person, this is not a budget lunch. You are paying for a three-hour class, a professional chef, a four-course meal, written recipes, homemade bread, bottled water, one craft beer, and time at the brewery.

The value improves if you would otherwise book a separate cooking class and restaurant meal. You get instruction and dinner in one stop, plus a setting that is more distinctive than a plain classroom. The small group also matters. A limit of 10 people gives this a more personal scale than a large group demonstration.

The price is less attractive if you mainly want a quick meal or a full brewery tour. You would need to arrange transportation, extra drinks cost more, and the brewery portion is self-guided. I would book it for the food lesson and the meal, not simply for the beer.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would recommend this class to couples, friends, and families who enjoy eating together and want a useful activity between sightseeing stops. It also suits people who like meeting others in a small group, since the cooking and final meal are shared.

It is a good choice for anyone who wants more than a restaurant table but does not want a full-day excursion. The three-hour schedule leaves room for other Santorini plans, though you should avoid booking it too close to another fixed appointment.

Food lovers will appreciate the local ingredients and the recipe handout. Beer fans will like the way Ftelos beer appears both in the glass and in the cooking. It may be less suitable for someone who dislikes group activities, cannot take part in active cooking, or wants a formal, guided brewery tour.

The experience is wheelchair accessible, which is useful to know when comparing cooking classes. You should still confirm the practical arrangements for your specific date if you have particular access needs.

What to bring and how to prepare

Wear comfortable clothes and closed, comfortable shoes if possible. A T-shirt is sensible for cooking, and long hair should be tied back. Sunglasses are useful if your session takes place on the patio.

Bring your passport or identity card, or a copy. Do not bring outside food or drinks, and leave tripods and recording equipment behind. Video and audio recording are not allowed, so plan to remember the class through the recipes and the meal rather than through a full camera record.

The most useful preparation is to arrive hungry but not starving. You will be cooking for three hours and then eating the complete menu. Since extra food and drinks are not part of the package, do not assume you can add a larger meal unless the brewery offers it on the day.

Should you book the Ftelos cooking class?

Book it if you want to eat local food and learn to make it, rather than simply order another Greek meal. The hands-on format, small group, written recipes, and four-course menu make this a strong choice for a food-focused afternoon in Santorini.

Think twice if you want hotel pickup, a detailed brewery tour, or a low-cost activity. You arrange your own transport, the brewery exploration is self-guided, and the $113 price makes sense mainly when you value the cooking lesson and full meal together.

For most visitors who enjoy food, I would consider this one of the more useful Santorini activities. You leave with a meal in you, a recipe sheet in your bag, and a better idea of how the island’s ingredients work together. That is a solid return from three hours.

FAQ

How long does the Ftelos Brewery cooking class last?

The activity lasts three hours. Starting times vary, so check availability for the date you want.

What dishes will I cook?

You will prepare a four-course menu: 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 cooking fully hands-on?

Yes. You participate in all stages of the cooking rather than only watching a demonstration.

Is food and drink included?

The full meal is included, along with freshly baked homemade bread, bottled water, and one Ftelos craft beer. Extra food and drinks are not included.

Is the brewery tour guided?

No. You have 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, but hotel transfer is not included.

Can I cancel the activity?

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