Meet Despina
It takes only a few minutes with Despina to understand her enthusiasm for the very freshest ingredients—her students quickly learn this most important facet of Greek cooking. Despina always finds the best: the creamiest feta, the purest extra-virgin olive oil, the most aromatic oregano. It’s no wonder, given the fig, pear, and pomegranate trees that grew in her childhood backyard and the fish in her coastal hometown of Chalkida on the island of Euboea in Greece. Growing up, fresh ingredients were at the heart of everything she ate.
Despina learned to cook as a child from her stepmother and her father, who also worked as a cook in a soup kitchen. She also loves to draw and to paint, and her eye for detail is crystal clear in the beautiful appearance of every dish she makes. Despina moved to the US in the 1970s and worked as a registered nurse for more than forty years.
Despina and her husband have two grown daughters and for many years her eldest, now a lawyer, ran a Greek food stand at one of Manhattan’s most famous markets—today they often work together for catering projects. Despina’s youngest daughter lives in Italy. Despina lives with her husband in Queens; they also have two grandchildren.
Despina’s delicious Greek cuisine has been featured by Spruce Eats, Food & Wine, The Village Voice, Travel + Leisure, Greek Travel Pages, The Times Ledger, and PRI’s The World.
Upcoming Experiences
I cannot say enough good things about Despina's cooking class. She makes you feel comfortable the second you walk into her home, and she makes it easy to take part -- even for people like me who never cook. If you have any interest in learning how to cook Greek meals, I'd highly recommend you take her session. Actions speak louder than words, though, and I loved the League of Kitchens experience so much that I'm going back with my mom to learn how to cook Indian food in the near future.
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