This sounds like a great excuse to visit Crete: We hear that celebrity chef Penny Davidi will join Delfinia Group's November 2–10 culinary tour of the Greek island.
Davidi was a finalist on the popular Food Network Star and Chopped All-Stars cable shows. Having learned the art of cooking from the women in her family, especially her Jewish grandmother, Davidi is an expert on Mediterranean cuisine. She will share that expertise with tour participants, who will join her in the kitchen to learn how to prepare her unique interpretations of classic Cretan and Greek dishes. (Tip: For a sneak peek of Davidi in action, tune into the September 15, 2013, episode of Alton Brown’s Cutthroat Kitchen on the Food Network, where she’ll be competing on the reality cooking show.)
Led by Delfinia’s founder, Nancy Mantzikos, along with other expert local guides, the tour of Crete will study the principles of the island’s epicurean fare. Guests will prepare meals based on the island's locally sourced ingredients—olive oil, fresh greens and herbs, pulses and whole grains, and seafood—under the tutelage of Cretan chefs such as Greek Master Chef Dimitris Skarmoutsos. There will also be exclusive tastings and gourmet wine dinners with the Greek wine expert Konstantinos Lazarakis MW (Master of Wine), as well as visits to cheese makers, beekeepers, and organic olive oil producers. There will also be plenty of excursions to historic towns and sites.
Good to know: The tour is limited to 8–16 guests. Visit delfiniagroup.com for more information.