Experienced tutor in Cooking in New York, Maria offers private lessons tailored to your needs.

“An ambassador of Greek cuisine. A woman full of love for cooking and her Greek heritage but at the same time passionate about reviving the ancient wisdoms and philosophies which apply not only to cooking but also but also to every aspect of life”.

SOME cooking schools teach classic techniques (sauces, boning birds, knife skills) or
specialist skills such as chocolate or pastry making and others the practical ins and outs of family food. Among the most transporting trips into food education are those that unveil national cuisines: travel while you cook. Maria Benardis’s Sydney school, Greekalicious, is one of these, and her knowledge of the food of her homeland and its most ancient origins is inspirational. Benardis, who is evangelic about Greece and its food…the depth of Benardis’s commitment to her calling and her research is limitless. She is on a mission to reveal the subtlety and diversity of Greek food and to dispel the false impression that the cuisine is exemplified by lamb, filo pastry pies and the ubiquitous “Greek salad” (such a thing does not exist, she says; every island has its speciality and the hundreds of salads that could be called Greek are all different).” “There are no complicated techniques; the focus is on seeing how it is done and, importantly, understanding the nature of the food and its ancient origins. Short of being there ourselves, this is surely our most direct line to the authentic food of the islands. Things can only turn into an odyssey from here”.

“To be a Greek God of your kitchen, get sizzling with Greekalicious!”
Channel 7, Sydney Weekender.

“Maria Benardis is a living Greek culinary dictionary barely pausing for breath to explain the etymology, philosophy and cultural significance of each dish in her impressive repertoire. And now the founder of Greekalicious cooking school in Sydney is on a mission to teach authentic Greek cuisine and its traditions.”

“As a foodie I’ve been to a few cooking classes in my time but I can honestly say this was one of the best I’ve ever been to. The 3 hour class is a mixture of demonstration and hands-on making 3-4 dishes, followed by a sit-down lunch with wine. Maria is the most passionate and warm cooking instructor, with a philosophy of ‘eco, not ego’, meaning she supports seasonal ingredients, traditional recipes and cooking from the heart and not the stressful, competitive nature of cooking that we see in celebrity chefs and cooking shows on TV”.

“I can’t praise you enough and what a feast it was!
I really believe in what you do, more so, after the dinner. I felt so full but I felt lighter and happier after the meal. In fact I was still full the morning after but I felt content. It was almost a spiritual feeling and something I can’t explain well.
Thank you again from the bottom of my belly!!!”