Cretan Dinner Experience

£60.00

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Cretan Dinner Experience

£60.00

Cretan Dinner Experience

£60.00

Friday 28th October 2022, 7.30pm

Dinner Experience with Lida Papamatthaiaki 

If you’ve only thought of Crete as a beach holiday getaway, you’re missing out on one of the most important aspects of life on the island. It is said that the traditional Cretan diet is their true wealth, and this dinner is an excellent way to experience the best of what the island has to offer.

Expect a big Cretan feast for meat lovers, vegetarians, and vegans with Crete’s unique and bold flavours: Cretan thyme honey, sheep’s and goat’s milk cheeses, seasonal greens, slow-cooked meat, seasonal vegetables, lots of olive oil, and olives, all created in Lida’s contemporary style.

Lida’s food is evocative and deeply personal: she combines traditional and contemporary Greek cuisine, while also flirting with Middle Eastern flavours and drawing from London’s fascinating food culture. The result is a love letter to Crete, one that will transport you to the island’s beaches, its mountains, and the small kafeneia of the island where you can enjoy some of the most amazing meze dishes. If there’s one way of eating in London as the Cretans do, it will have to be when Lida’s cooking with Oliveology’s and Borough Market’s high-quality products.

What to expect:

You will be welcomed with a unique cocktail and a tasting of different olive oils and olives. Lida will then give a short talk about the Cretan Diet and the ingredients featured throughout the menu. You will then enjoy other Cretan specialities, all leading up to one of Lida’s favourite dishes. After the dessert, Lida will join you again to talk more about the Cretan Diet and some of her favourite food memories growing up on the island.

Suggested Menu:

Starting on the right foot: Olive oil, olives & welcome cocktail

In need of something crunchy: Cretan pickles

A Cretan classic: Winter dakos

Herby and smokey starters: seasonal greens | parsley yiahni | Cretan cheeses | traditional cured meats

Finally, cutting to the chase: Lemony mushrooms or lamb with seasonal greens and fennel without forgetting the hit: Crispy, lemony potatoes

A sweet way to conclude this dinner: Petimezopita & dessert cocktail

Past Event


Oliveology is hosting Lida Papamatthaiaki in our Cretan Dinner Experience 

Lida is a trained chef, a sommelier, and a digital anthropologist, currently shuttling between Greece and the UK. She has a diverse culinary background, ranging from academic to practical.

She studied Social Anthropology, and during her studies, she participated in an oral history research project documenting food practices in Northern Greece. Lida is passionate about tangible and intangible heritage and has worked in museums but always found herself drawn back to gastronomy. Her postgraduate academic research looked into the rise of food blogging and the importance of its online and offline community.

She started working in food as a Borough Market trader and later combined that with food media for many years, focusing on promoting Greek gastronomy. She trained at Le Monde culinary institute in Athens, worked in restaurants in Greece and the UK, consulted for artisan food brands, and joined food conferences and culinary seminars. She trained at the UK Sommelier Association, and as a wine culture specialist, she particularly enjoys pairing food and wine.

Since 2018, she has been designing and hosting experiences including cooking workshops, wine tastings, supper clubs, walking tours, and even week-long food trips in Greece. Her workshops are inspired by the intersection of food heritage, culture, and history. She draws upon her memories from her home island, Crete. She is currently working on the production of the 4th season of the hit PBS television show My Greek Table, travelling around Greece, and documenting the local gastronomy and culture.

Menu: Seasonal, Vegetarian options, using Oliveology products and mostly organic produce.

Price: £60 per person (includes welcome cocktail, tasting of olive oil and olives, talk, 5-course dinner. Does not include drinks, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be offered to buy at special prices)

Location: In our Railway Arch at Spa Terminus
Date:  Friday 28th October 2022
Time: 7.30pm

For more information on dates & bookings email us at: workshops@oliveology.co.uk

Dietary requirements:

All menus are finalised two weeks before the date of the dinner. Please contact us directly with any dietary requirements and we will do our best to accommodate you.
As our dinners are hosted at a shared kitchen space, we cannot guarantee an allergy-free environment.

Cancellation policy:

A minimum of 4 weeks notice is required for cancellation so we can fill your space. You will be given a full refund or we can transfer you to another date. However, no refunds or changes can be made if cancellations are changed in less than four weeks. However, you have the option to give your ticket to a friend or family member.

Covid-19 Health & Safety:

For all of our events we will ensure that all health and safety regulations are upheld and keep guest numbers to a minimum so that you can enjoy the workshops while feeling relaxed and safe.