He came to Greece alone at the age of 16 after having lied to his parents. “I knew then that I wanted to live in Athens,” says Stephen Akehurst, now 38, as he welcomes me into a beautifully renovated space in the Greek capital, where he teaches Greek cooking to dozens of travelers every day. Here they learn how to make briam, tzatziki and moussaka – both regular and vegan – hear stories about dramatic or funny meals and learn some of the “secrets” of successful recipes, the kind that even mothers may hide from their daughters.
“The goal here is to have fun, not become chefs,” says Akehurst, the life and soul of “The Greek Kitchen: Culinary Experiences,” which started operating in the Varvakeios Market in downtown Athens about two months ago.
“I chose this location on purpose, because it is the block that best represents Greek gastronomy. In the market you can find every type of meat or fish, while the streets around it sell the weirdest spices and best koulouria [sesame-covered bread rings] in town,” says Akehurst, who also organizes food tours.
