HERBS IN HER
POCKETS
POCKETS
I have walked hundreds of kilometers off the beaten path, to discover some of Greece’s most special landscapes, foods and artisans.
Friends started asking me to share my travel secrets and I realized that, if there is one thing I enjoy more than making discoveries, that is sharing them with all those eager to experience things extraordinary.
Would you like to join one of my upcoming culinary tours? Or ask if I can curate an experience exclusively for you?
Cretan kitchen confidential
October 12 to 18, 2025
Heraklion and Chania, Crete – Greece
€7,000 shared room / €8,500 single room
Early-bird (till June 20): €6,500 shared room / €8,000 single room
Meet chef Nicholas Poulmentis and Isabella in Crete!
May 12 to 18 2026
Crete, Greece
$10,000 shared room / $12,500 single room
€7,000 shared room / €8,500 single room
Early-bird (till June 20): €6,500 shared room / €8,000 single room
A handcrafted culinary tour to Greece’s tastiest island. When it comes to food, Cretans know best: they know how to produce it, how to cook it and -above all- how to enjoy it.
Having spent years doing research in the remotest villages, I will take you straight to the best. We will visit the top dairy farms, wineries, olive mills, artisans and food producers. We will enjoy food prepared for us by some of the island’s best cooks -both professional and domestic. And we will also take the time to unwind and have a glass of wine (or a shot or raki) and talk with them about recipes, techniques and all things Cretan kitchen confidential.
We will travel through millennia-old olive groves and iconic coast lines. We will forage for wild greens and help harvest olives for first-press high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil. We will pay our respects to the 1.900BC civilization that invented some of the most refined cooking utensils of all times and stir the milk of local-breed sheep to make Graviera, Crete’s answer to the Parmesan.
What makes Crete a truly unique place to visit? Food is deeply connected to the landscape and the people. It is both delicious and good for you. Crete has all the attributes of a Blue Zone but, more than that, it is the place where the joy of sharing food and stories around the table is a central part of life.
Will you join?
October 12-18, 2025
only 19 spots available!
To request more information, please contact us at [email protected].
Pricing
€7,000 per person sharing in a double room
Single supplement + €1,500
Early-bird (till June 20): €6,500 shared room / €8,000 single room
Airfare is not included
Deposit €2,000 (€1,500 for early birds) due upon registration
See our analytical terms & conditions.
Day 1
Sunday, October 12 – Heraklion
Heraklion airport early afternoon pick-up
Free time to spend on the beach or in the swimming pool
“How far would you go for food?” Isabella’s food storytelling welcome dinner, featuring a selection of artisanal products from all over Crete
Day 2
Monday, October 13 – Heraklion
My big slim Cretan Breakfast – a special breakfast where we discover longevity secrets inherent to the Cretan Diet
Wine tasting and lunch at an awarded winery that has pioneered in rescuing local grape varieties
The elaborate food culture of the 1.900BC Minoans is presented through a guided visit to selected exhibits of Heraklion’s Archaeological Museum
Free time for a walk around Heraklion, with recommendations for places to check out
Dinner in a gastronomic taverna
Day 3
Tuesday, October 14 – Heraklion
A visit to Babis, an excellent artisanal cheesemaker who strives to maintain local breeds of sheep and specializes in graviera cheese, aged 36 months
A tasting of unique cheeses, including Crete’s proud answer to the Italian Parmesan, and a try at cheesemaking
Cooking in a wood-fired oven with Markos, the man who brought an abandoned mountainous village back to life
Optional hike on the scenic seaside slopes of the Asterousia Mountains
Meze dinner at a traditional kafeneio
Day 4
Wednesday, October 15 – Chania
A visit to a traditional wood-fire bakery where we learn all about rusks
Foraging for wild greens in Rethymno and lunch with Manolis and Eleni
Check in at Chania hotel
Free time for a walk in the old city, with recommendations for places to check out
Dinner in a passionate, zero-waste restaurant where we meet Christos, Stella and Yiannis
Day 5
Thursday, October 16 – Chania
Olive picking with Eftychis and Chloe at one of Crete’s top olive farms
Olive-oil tasting & lunch with poet-chef Michalis
A guided visit of the olive mill where the world’s first high-phenolic olive oil to be certified as a food supplement is produced
A delicious and inspirational plant-based dinner with chef Stelios
Day 6
Friday, October 17 – Chania
Exploring the ancient city of Aptera with Giorgos
A game of gastronomical recitations in the ancient theatre
Roasting antikrysto lamb, the Cretan version of the Argentinian asado carob-pod picking off the trees, if climate change permits
A farewell dinner to remember
Day 7
Saturday, October 18 – departures
Optional visit to the Chania Archaeological Museum
Zorba the Cretan waves goodbye -one last surprise before we take you to Chania airport
* The Cretan Kitchen Confidential tour starts at Heraklion international airport and ends in Chania international airport. We will be staying in a resort like Pnoe Breathing Life, Amirandes or Knossos Beach in Heraklio and in a hotel like Domus Blanc or Domes Noruz in Chania.
Travel Information & Tour Details
Crete is easily accessible with just a one-hour flight from Athens. A group transfer from Heraklion Kazantzakis International Airport (HER) is scheduled for approximately 3:00 PM on arrival day. On the final morning of the tour, a group transfer will be arranged from our hotel in Chania to Chania Daskalogiannis International Airport (CHQ). Finalized transfer times will be confirmed in early October.
This curated journey is tailored for food professionals and for passionate lovers of Greek cuisine. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform us at the time of registration.
Participants should be prepared for daily walking of 1 to 3 miles. The itinerary may be subject to change due to weather or unforeseen circumstances; however, any adjustments will be thoughtfully planned to maintain the quality and integrity of the experience.
By registering, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to all terms and conditions.
What’s Included in the Tour Package:
Not Included:
Payment Information: To avoid processing surcharges, payments should be made by wire transfer. Credit card payments incur an additional 3% fee applied to the deposit amount.
Before registering, please read our full terms and conditions.
To request more information, please contact us at [email protected].
Chef Nicholas Poulmentis and food & travel writer Isabella Zampetaki invite you on a culinary tour to the Greek island of Crete. This 7-day experience includes visits to the best restaurants, wineries and olive mills, as well as cooking classes where Nicholas and local cooks teach you straightforward recipes that are both delicious and healthy. Crete is the birthplace of the Mediterranean Diet and it is no coincidence that many Cretans live to be over a hundred years old.
One-of-a-kind cooking classes
We will learn all the tricks to a perfect spanakopita and kleftiko wood-fired oven lamb, dolmadakia (vine-leaves stuffed with rice and herbs) and Sfakiani pita (crunchy and thin white cheese pie), dakos and Greek salad, boureki and maggiri pasta.
Cooking classes will take place in beautiful outdoor areas, by the sea and in verdant plains set at the foot of Crete’s mountains. They will be rich in seasonal local products, fresh herbs and extra virgin olive-oil.
There will be surprises! Like an invitation to join a night-time cooking class.
Highly curated selections
The restaurants and tavernas where we will be dining feature the best of Cretan cuisine and have been handpicked by Isabella who writes for food and travel for over 25 years. Among them, a top zero-waste bistrot, a family-run farm-to-table restaurant, a taverna whose cook prepares dishes just as if she cooked them for her own family. We will forage edible wild greens that grow around this time of year and enjoy delicacies that not even Cretans themselves know, like the grape caviar that is just ripe in May!
You will meet with some of Greece’s top wine, olive-oil, cheese and herbs experts and chat with them about anything you want to learn about making the right choices.
Day 1
Tuesday, May 12 – Heraklion
Heraklion airport afternoon pick-up
Free time to enjoy the beach or your private heated pool at Pnoe Breathing Life Resort
Food storytelling and welcome dinner, featuring a selection of artisanal products from all over Crete
Day 2
Wednesday, May 13 – Heraklion
Visit Knossos, Europe’s first organized city and discover traces of people who loved good food and nature back in the 2.500BCs
Wine tasting at one of Crete’s internationally acclaimed family wineries & a cooking class among the vines
Free time to walk around Heraklion / optional visit to its acclaimed Archaeological Museum
Evening raki and meze in a traditional village kafeneio, with a cooking demo by the local Women’s Association
Day 3
Thursday, May 14 – Heraklion
A visit to an artisanal cheesemaker who strives to maintain local breeds of sheep and specializes in aged graviera cheese
Cooking in a wood-fired oven atop Europe’s southernmost mountain range with the man who brought an abandoned village back to life
Optional hike/horse ride on the mountain slopes
A night-time easy dinner cooking class by Nicholas
Day 4
Friday, May 15 – Chania
A morning with one of Crete’s top foraging experts and a pick nick lunch on the beach
Check in at Domus Blanc Boutique Hotel which used to be the historic home of the French Consulate
Free time to explore Chania and its iconic old harbor and alleys
Dinner in a zero-waste bistrot that buys its produce from dozens of small farmers across Crete
Day 5
Saturday, May 16 – Chania
A guided visit to the olive oil farm where the world’s first high phenolic olive oil to be certified as a food supplement is produced
Olive oil tasting of monovarietal and naturally scented extra virgin olive oils and a farm-to-table lunch
Free time to explore the old city of Chania / Optional visit to the Folklore Museum
Bites and stories from Chania’s Belle Epoque
Day 6
Sunday, May 17 – Chania
Explore the ancient city and charming theatre of beautiful Aptera
Visit a verdant organic herbs farm where Nicholas teaches us how to make a light and crunchy Sfakiani pie.
Enjoy a festive dinner in the heart of a traditional village
Day 7
Monday, May 18
Our long goodbye breakfast
Optional visit to Chania Archaeological Museum
Late morning transfer to Chania airport
Crete is a big island! In order to minimize time spent on the bus, we have selected to start our tour in Heraklion international airport (HER) in the east and to depart from Chania international airport (CHQ) in the west.
Cost
$10,000 per person, sharing in a double room
Single supplement + $2,500
Deposit $3,000 due upon registration
Airfare is not included
See our analytical Terms & Conditions
Hotel Details
Pnoe Breathing Life Resort, Heraklion
https://pnoe-breathinglife.com
Pnoé, meaning “breath” in Greek, is an elegant, adults-only designer beach resort that blends sophisticated relaxation with a strong focus on wellness. Set around a central courtyard anchored by an almond-shaped pool, its 60 private pool suites radiate outward in harmonious symmetry. The resort’s natural color palette mirrors the rugged surrounding landscape, while the architecture subtly echoes the bold forms of ancient Minoan design—a respectful nod to Crete’s storied past.
From the moment guests arrive, the renowned warmth of Cretan hospitality is on full display—beginning with a welcoming hand towel infused with sarandavotano, a traditional blend of 40 aromatic herbs known for their revitalizing properties.
Its comprehensive wellness facilities include a sauna, steam room, hydromassage pool, water paradise showers, ice fountain and bucket, a Himalayan salt-wall relaxation area and your own private heated pool.
Domus Blanc Boutique Hotel, Chania
https://domusblanc.com
Domus Blanc Hotel in Chania is a restored 19th-century mansion that once belonged to the French consul, Paul Blanc. Nestled in the aristocratic Halepa district, the boutique hotel revives the elegance of Crete’s Belle Epoque. With its art deco interior, the hotel features 12 refined suites—many with private jacuzzis—and a romantic balcony reminiscent of old aristocratic soirées. Owners Litsa and Aria Paraskevakis, along with the Varoudakis architects, meticulously restored the historic estate over four years. Their attention to detail, including reproducing the consul’s sapphire-blue walls, brings the building’s grandeur back to life. This one-of-a-kind hotel features bespoke furnishings, exposed beams, parquet floors, and marble-tiled bathrooms.
Guests can indulge in a variety of amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool with hydromassage points, a state-of-the-art gym, and a spa offering personalized massage treatments and a sauna.
Travel Information & Tour Details
Crete is easily accessible with just a one-hour flight from Athens. A group transfer from Heraklion Kazantzakis International Airport (HER) is scheduled for approximately 3:00 PM on arrival day. On the final morning of the tour, a group transfer will be arranged from our hotel in Chania to Chania Daskalogiannis International Airport (CHQ) around 11:00 AM. Finalized transfer times will be confirmed in early May 2026.
This curated journey is tailored for seasoned travelers and passionate lovers of Greek cuisine. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform us at the time of registration.
Participants should be prepared for daily walking of 1 to 3 miles. The itinerary may be subject to change due to weather or unforeseen circumstances; however, any adjustments will be thoughtfully planned to maintain the quality and integrity of the experience.
By registering, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to all terms and conditions.
What’s Included in the Tour Package:
Not Included:
Payment Information: To avoid processing surcharges, payments should be made by wire transfer. Credit card payments incur an additional 3% fee applied to the deposit amount.
Before registering, please read our full Terms and Conditions.
