Via Traveling Spoon, my husband and I went to Roustika, Crete, Greece for a four hour cooking class with Ozlem. Our focus was on Turkish and Creten foods. Ozlem and her husband, Demitris, were both charming and funny. We had a great, and beautiful, drive through the mountains to their home, and then back to our hotel in Chora Sfakia.

Our afternoon with Mary was far beyond anything we expected — truly one of the highlights of our entire trip. Mary is a very special person: kind, genuine, and a wonderful host. From the moment she contacted us before the class, she made sure we had all the details we needed to find her home and feel comfortable. Her house itself is beautiful — perched on a scenic cliffside with amazing views — and immediately felt warm and welcoming. She greeted us outside with a big smile, and as my mother said later, “it couldn’t have been a better day.” We started with tea and conversation on her patio, followed by preparing local appetizers (with a little raki, of course!) before moving on to the main meal. The dishes were simple, traditional, and deeply flavorful — but what made it so special was Mary’s passion for Cretan cooking and her deep knowledge of its history and traditions. This isn’t a “restaurant-style” experience. It’s much more personal and real — an afternoon in the home of someone who opens her life to complete strangers and treats them like family. It’s rare to find something this honest and heartfelt anywhere, and we left feeling incredibly grateful. If you’re looking for a genuine local experience — not commercial, not polished for tourists, but warm, intimate, and full of meaning — you won’t find anything better than spending an afternoon with Mary.