Athens Souvlaki & Gyros Cooking Class Review: A Taste of Authentic Greece

So, you’re thinking about a trip to Athens and really want to do more than just see the Acropolis? That’s where I found myself last year. I figured, is that what better way to soak in the local vibes than by, just a little, getting your hands dirty with some proper Greek grub? Now, there appear to be loads of different options, but I ended up going for a Souvlaki and Gyros cooking class hosted by a local. Did it live up to the hype? Absolutely! Here’s my complete take on it.

What’s the Deal with Souvlaki and Gyros Anyway?

Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty of the class, I guess a speedy word on these iconic dishes is that they’re proper stars of Greek street food. Souvlaki, very simply put, consists of small pieces of meat (typically pork or chicken) grilled on a skewer. That’s already making my mouth water thinking about it. Gyros, actually, is prepared with meat roasted on a vertical spit, sliced thinly, and served in a pita with all sorts of yummy toppings. Both are, in a way, delicious, fairly inexpensive, and a total staple. Trust me, by the end of the cooking class, you’ll have, maybe, a special connection to both!

Booking the Class: What to Know

I recall that actually booking the class was a total breeze. I did it online, through one of those travel websites. Many experiences that promote local food tours. The details usually say something about a “Souvlaki and Gyros Cooking Class,” but basically, you’ll definitely want to check the location, how long it goes on for, and what’s included (drinks? Appetizers? A full-on feast?). Most of them are quite small, which is, typically, how I really like it – it means you actually get to ask questions and hang out with the cook, that is if it’s just you. You will see them from anything from €50-€100 or something similar per person depending on who you opt for, which, very roughly, looks reasonable, for what’s involved.

Meeting Our Local Host

Okay, that I had a really great time meeting the person that ran the cooking class. Apparently, this guy, let’s call him Kostas, basically, opened the door with a huge smile and welcomed us straight into, virtually, his home. Actually, straightaway, I felt much more comfortable, much more like I was hanging out with an old friend that was trying to just show me how to make food the way he likes to make it. And actually, that’s it, those moments really stand out as things that make traveling fun.

Getting Started: Prep Work and Ingredients

I tell you, next up it was time to get cooking! Very first things first, that we’ve all got to learn how to prep all the elements that go into proper souvlaki and gyros. I would have no idea how to make gyros. I guess things involved included chopping the veg, mixing sauces, getting the meat ready for the grill. Kostas really got it through that what makes his food taste like the best stuff in Athens is only buying ingredients that were locally sourced and very fresh. The freshness really does lift everything when you eventually taste it!

Hands-On: Making Souvlaki

So, things were starting to get real when it was time to assemble the souvlaki. Kostas taught us this, how to properly skewer the meat to make sure it cooks evenly and stays super juicy. We tried with, perhaps, some marinade recipes – things like lemon juice, oregano, garlic and other herbs – that I never considered, and also, clearly, a secret family ingredient he wasn’t revealing! That was really fun because actually, you got to create things as well to go along with the meat and bread.

Hands-On: Crafting the Perfect Gyros

Right, Gyros time. A bit more work goes into gyros because, to be honest, we cheated with cooking the meat, because who has a gyro machine in their apartment, you know? Kostas just gave us really great pre-cooked sliced meat from, perhaps, his favorite local butcher. Actually, really interesting and really fun was putting all of the toppings inside. Homemade tzatziki is something to try if you can – much better than, say, anything you could find in a grocery store.

Grilling and Assembling

I’d never seen such professional gyros. At last, the grilling part came, and Kostas gave instructions on, very, exactly, how to cook the souvlaki on a grill until it’s perfectly charred and cooked through. So, then we laid out pita bread, loaded our grilled souvlaki, gyros, toppings, sauces, and actually, there we had it – our very own custom Greek masterpiece. It might be a total cliché, but it did feel really rewarding to, very slowly, enjoy the fruits (or meats) of our labor!

Eating Time! Enjoying Our Creations

The great reveal happened when it came down to eating. Seemingly, the absolute best bit! What makes it much more real, in my opinion, when, in a way, you are doing it with other folks that attended the class – so very easy to bond over shared food. We sat around chatting, enjoying our souvlaki and gyros, basically, trading stories about, say, our travels. The feeling really reminded me that I could picture myself back there again and again and again!

The Verdict: Was It Worth It?

At the end of the day, was that Greek food class worth it? Absolutely. Maybe you’d expect that from me since I’ve spent this long talking about it, but that’s only really because I am so happy that I went. I mean that now I not only actually have some cool cooking skills, but I have this warmer view and a connection with Greek food culture than I could have gained from just eating in a restaurant. A proper souvlaki cooking session really connects you more than any guide ever could.

What did I learn?

• Learning to cook authentic Greek Souvlaki and Gyros is super satisfying.
• Meeting and getting some local tips from people that love Athens makes travel really interesting and real.
• Hands-on cooking sessions and travel create great memories and give some really funny and wonderful stories to share

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