Cookbook author Meni Valle is organising a culinary retreat in mid-September that “combines Greek food, wine, and visual storytelling, in one of my favourite places in the world – Halkidiki, Greece – my home away from home,” she told Neos Kosmos.
For Valle, food tells the story of the cultural weaving and layering over centuries and reflects the culinary palimpsest of a modern Greece. A nation that emerged from the Ottoman Empire with east and west woven into its daily foodways.
“It’s about storytelling—on a plate and around the table. This is so much more than a food retreat,” Valle said.
“Greece isn’t just one homogenous country—it’s many regions, each with its own flavours, customs, and food traditions passed down through generations.”
The culinary retreat coincides with Valle’s new book, Thessaloniki: And the Many Kitchens of Northern Greece, published by Hardie Grant. In it, Valle turns her focus to the diverse and historically rich cuisine of Greece’s second-largest city.
Over 70 recipes are paired with photography by Stephanie Stamatis, showcasing dishes shaped by the region’s multicultural heritage—including Sephardic, Ottoman and Asia Minor influences.
“Thessaloniki is a city of confluence – it’s where food tells the stories of migration, adaptation, and deep-rooted tradition.”
“From wild greens and stone fruits to heirloom legumes or the famed elephant beans” said Valle.
“What we eat here tells a deeper story about who we are, where we come from and how we live,” said Valle.
She explained that she cares deeply about “sharing the real food of Greece because it tells a story.”
“When you taste cheese from Epirus, bougatsa from Thessaloniki, olives from Kalamata, or fresh fish from the islands, you’re tasting the land, the people and their way of life.
These foods carry history, love, and tradition. I don’t want to change them or dress them up—I want to keep them honest, just like the people behind them,” Valle told Neos Kosmos.
“Dishes we now consider Greek—like avgolemono soup from Sephardic Jews, or moussaka from the Balkans—have roots that stretch across borders and centuries,” said Valle.
“Influences from the Ottoman Empire, the Mediterranean, and even Sephardic Jewish communities have shaped what we eat today.
“For me, honouring Greek food means not only preserving local traditions, but also recognising the many cultural threads that have been woven into each recipe over time. It’s a cuisine of memory, migration, and shared heritage,” she added.
Sephardic Jews, expelled from Spain during the height of the Spanish Inquisition, settled in Thessaloniki in 1492. Between 40,000 and 100,000 Jews were expelled, many of whom resettled in Greece and Asia Minor.
“Moussaka—with béchamel sauce—was created in the early 20th century by chef Nikolaos Tselementes, who was trained in and influenced by French cuisine, and introduced béchamel into the Greek kitchen.
“Moussaka had existed in the Balkans as eggplant casseroles without the creamy topping,” Valle pointed out.
Participants will stay at Elies 33, a hotel known for its elegance and proximity to the region’s coastal beauty. E-bikes will be provided for personal exploration of the surrounding area, allowing guests to take in Halkidiki’s pine forests, turquoise bays, and hidden villages at their own pace.
The retreat includes cooking classes led by Valle using only seasonal ingredients from local producers. There are also photography and food styling workshops with creatives Lean Timms and Stephanie Stamatis, and a full-day excursion to Thessaloniki, including a guided market tour and traditional lunch.
Valle is all about the hearth, and home, and she told Neos Kosmos that the Halkidiki retreat is “for home cooks, creative professionals, and anyone seeking meaningful, slow travel.”
“It’s about sharing more than food—it’s about perspective, pace, and rediscovering joy through culture.”
Whether through her immersive retreats or writing, Meni Valle creates space for connection—one meal, one image, and one story at a time.
