WAYS OF FEASTING:
Sifnos
October 9—14
For our latest edition of Ways of Feasting, NOMS is heading to Sifnos, the wildly beautiful Cycladic island with one of the oldest food cultures in Greece. We'll be based at a private estate in the hills above Apollonia for five nights of cooking and eating with the people who have kept this island's food culture alive for generations, led in the kitchen by our chef Konstantina Kasparidou (formerly Cantina Sifnos and Annie Fine Cooking Athens, now at Achladi Fish Tavern on Syros). Nikolina Skenderija – food anthropologist, sommelier at Cantina Sifnos and wine importer – will be leading our wine tastings, curating our pairings throughout the week, and introducing us to the food histories of an island she's called home for the last few years.
We'll make Revithia with Maro, a revered local cook who grows all her own vegetables and seals chickpeas in an earthenware pot, leaving them in a wood oven overnight, the way it has always been done on Sifnos. We'll cuddle baby animals, milk goats and harvest olives at Loumadis, a permaculture farm on Sifnos's sea-facing terraces, then sit down with farmer Ioannis to eat food grown metres from the table and hear how his family have farmed here, without irrigation, for centuries. We'll learn ceramics in a workshop that has been making Sifnian cooking vessels for generations, grill whole fish and meats over open flame, hike, swim in the sea, and end the week with a feast and Greek dancing.
October on Sifnos is golden: warm enough to swim, cool enough to cook, and free of the summer crowds.
What’s included
Five nights at Sifnos Themonies
Daily breakfasts at the property
Daily chef-prepared lunches and dinners
Daily wine pairings and 1 x dedicated wine tasting, led by Nikolina Skenderija
Ceramics workshop with a local potter
Revithia workshop with local cook and island icon, Maro
Hands-on cooking workshop with Konstantina
Two visits to Loumidis farm: animals, activities and communal feasting
Farewell feast with Greek dancing
Welcome gift
What’s not included
Airfare and transport to and from the island
Travel insurance
Additional beverages from the hotel bar
Booking Note: All bookings are handled by Noms du Jour directly. To reserve your place, please contact us directly via email. An €800 deposit per person is required to secure your place at the retreat. More information below.
THE ITINERARY
THE ISLAND
Sifnos is the most delicious Cycladic island. Whitewashed hilltop villages, chapels on rocky promontories, stone paths threading through terraced hills, and a food culture with more depth than almost anywhere else in Greece. It's the birthplace of the first Greek cookbook, written by local chef Nicholas Tselementes in 1910, and the island's ceramics tradition once supplied cooking pots to the entire Mediterranean. Today, the culinary scene runs the full gamut from zero-waste, cliff-side fine dining restaurants and natural wine bars to traditional Yiayia-run tavernas, all drawing a stylish, food-obsessed crowd in search of the real deal.
The interior is a tangle of donkey trails, dry-stone walls bursting with caper bushes, and terraced hills growing chickpeas, figs and oregano. From everywhere, the Aegean glitters below. October is Sifnos at its best. The summer crowds have left, the light turns amber, the sea is still warm, the island slows to a languid pace. The potters are back at their wheels. The tavernas are full of people who live here.
THE CHEF
Konstantina Kasparidou is a Greek chef whose cooking is shaped by the landscapes and memories of her homeland, from Evros through celebrated kitchens in Greece, Cyprus and Spain. She was there with Giorgos Samoilis at the beginning of Cantina on Sifnos, the zero-waste, hyper-local restaurant that put the island on the map for a new generation of food lovers, before moving to Athens as head chef at Annie Fine Cooking and then to Achladi Fish Tavern on Syros. Aegean produce and the seasons inform everything she cooks: precise, generous, made to be shared.
RESIDENT SOMMELIER
Nikolina Skenderija is a food anthropologist, wine distributor and sommelier. Born in Bosnia, she moved to Berlin at 18, studying German Literature and Anthropology with a focus on the history of food, its relationship to death, politics and the arts. She has held a fellowship at Vienna's Institute for Cultural Studies, and her writing appears in publications such as Oxford Food Studies and the Journal for Culinary Studies. While studying, she founded Ritual Cuisine, a supper-club series hosted in her Berlin apartment, later evolving into a platform for recipes, food travel and photography. Her deepening interest in wine led to the launch of Ritual Wine, a Berlin-based distribution company. Nikolina now splits her time between Berlin and Sifnos, where she is head sommelier at Cantina and co-founder of Ritual Cantina Wine.
NOMS HOSTS
Katerina van Camp and Madeleine Woon are the duo behind Noms du Jour. A stylist and a food and travel writer, respectively, they founded NOMS to build community around the smart, spirited people shaping contemporary food and wine culture, and are now bringing that to life with their Ways of Feasting retreat series. You'll usually find them at a table or on the road, often both at once. Between them, they've travelled to more than 40 Greek islands, breaking their usual 'no return' rule for Sifnos, where they invariably return each year.
THE ACCOMMODATION
Sifnos Themonies is a spacious property of three converted stone houses set on a hillside in Katavati, just above Apollonia, best described as a minimalistic return to Sifnian tradition with modern amenities. Built entirely from local materials in the Cycladic tradition – thick stone walls, timber beams, bioclimatic design that keeps rooms cool without effort – the three houses sit around a saltwater pool and an outdoor kitchen with a traditional Sifnian panostria, with shaded dining terraces where long meals stretch naturally into the afternoon and a view down over the valley and the mountains beyond, best enjoyed with a glass of natural wine at sunset. An ancient threshing floor, the aloni, sits at the heart of the estate: a perfectly round stone construction that has been here since time immemorial. The garden grows thyme, oregano, lavender, figs, olive trees and a small vineyard. Ten minutes on foot downhill gets you to the centre of Apollonia.
The main communal house has four guest rooms – two doubles with en suite bathrooms and two twins with a shared bathroom – plus a full kitchen, a stone fireplace and a pergola terrace with a dining table for the whole group. The second house has two rooms, one with twin beds and the other with double, each with a private en suite bathroom, its own kitchen, a shaded veranda and an outdoor shower carved into the rock face. Konstantina will cook from the main kitchen and outdoor kitchen daily while we explore the island. Guests have full use of all communal spaces, including kitchens, at all times.
THE PRACTICAL DETAILS
THE BEST ROOM FOR YOU
Sifnos Themonies has six rooms across the two houses, four with private en suites and two with a shared bathroom. The property lends itself to communal living – shared terraces, shared meals, shared pool – so whether you're coming alone, with a partner or with a friend, you'll feel equally at home. Get in touch and we'll help you find the right room.
HOW TO BOOK
Places are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. An 800eu deposit per person is required to secure your spot, with the remaining balance due before arrival. Get in touch with Madeleine at bookings@nomsdujour.com.
How to reach Sifnos Themonies
Sifnos can be reached by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) or neighbouring islands including Mykonos and Santorini. We're happy to help you plan your route, email Madeleine at bookings@nomsdujour.com. We'll share everything you need to know ahead of arrival, including a NOMS guide to the best places to eat, shop and swim in Athens and on Sifnos.
EXTEND YOUR STAY
If you'd like to book extra nights on the island before or after the week, get in touch and we'll help you arrange it. It’s possible to extend your stay at Themonies after the retreat, too.
FAQ
What is included in the retreat price?
Your place includes five nights at Sifnos Themonies, daily breakfasts, chef-prepared lunches and dinners (excluding one optional dinner out on Saturday evening), wine and aperitivo throughout, hands-on workshops, all scheduled excursions and the boat day, and all guided activities listed in the itinerary. Transport to and from Sifnos is not included.
Where is the accommodation?
We'll be based at Sifnos Themonies, a private estate of three converted stone houses in Katavati, a ten-minute walk from the centre of Apollonia. All rooms have access to shared terraces, a saltwater pool and outdoor dining areas with views over the valley.
Can I attend by myself?
Absolutely. Ways of Feasting is intimate and communal by nature — solo travellers are very welcome. Get in touch and we'll help you find the right room.
Can I come with a friend, partner or group?
Yes! Ways of Feasting is a small group by design, so it travels well with a friend or partner. The second house sleeps four and can be booked out by a group. Get in touch and we'll find the right fit.
Do I need any cooking experience?
Not at all. The workshops are hands-on but relaxed and collaborative. Curiosity matters far more than skill.
What level of fitness is required?
Sifnos is a rugged island but all activities are optional and we'll make sure every guest is comfortable. Get in touch if you have any specific needs and we'll plan accordingly.
Are dietary restrictions accommodated?
Yes. Please let us know your allergies or dietary needs in advance at bookings@nomsdujour.com so we can plan accordingly.
How do I get to Sifnos?
Sifnos can be reached by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) or neighbouring islands including Mykonos and Santorini. We're happy to help you plan your route and will share a full travel guide ahead of arrival.
What time is check-in and check-out?
Check-in is from 2pm on Thursday 9 October. Check-out is by 11am on Tuesday 14 October.
Is travel insurance required?
We strongly recommend purchasing travel and medical insurance, as it is not included in the price.
Will there be free time?
Yes. All activities are optional and the schedule is paced with plenty of time to swim, explore, rest or do nothing at all.
What should I pack?
Light layers, swimwear, comfortable shoes for walking and something you feel good in for long dinners and Greek dancing. A detailed packing guide will be sent ahead of arrival.
What is your cancellation/refund policy?
A deposit per person is required to confirm your place, with the remaining balance due before arrival. Due to the nature of the week, payments are non-refundable. If you can no longer attend, you are welcome to transfer your place to someone else. If we do not reach the minimum number of participants, the week will be cancelled with at least one month's notice and your deposit will be refunded in full.