Maria Benardis Biography
Vibrant Greek Australian Maria Benardis, has long been passionate about her Greek heritage and culture, and in particular her native cuisine. From her early impressionable years growing up on the Greek island of Psara, her father’s home town, known for its lobster, sea urchin and thyme infused honey; Maria paid close attention to the women of her family, and how they cooked. It was here she developed her passion for Greek cooking and learned the fundamentals of kitchen lore.
Maria’s mother’s family are from Kalamata:
- home of the world famous olives
- fine figs
- pastelli (a sesame and honey sweet)
- lalagia (deep fried sweet bread twists)
- sfela cheese
- fig infused balsamic vinegar – supplied the original inspiration that continues to fuel Maria’s passion for Greek food
Maria would watch and learn each day, as her grandmother made bread, cheese, yoghurt and meals for the family. The ingredients used to create these scrumptious dishes were always fresh and often home-grown, sparking Maria’s life-long love for organic, seasonal produce. In Australia Maria’s aunt Stavroula continued her traditional culinary education, and many of the dishes Maria creates today draw heavily from these early lessons.
As Maria grew older she did as all good Greek girls are encouraged to do, forging a career in the very stable taxation accounting profession, where she excelled to become a well respected and highly sought-after taxation and financial specialist. With over twenty years in management for some of Australia’s best known blue-chips and industry bodies; and a seat at any ATO, Government or Industry Committee on tax legislation worth its salt, Maria has taken a change of tack. In February 2007 Maria launched Greekalicious: Sydney’s first exclusively Greek cooking school, turning her passion for Greek cooking into a successful business. A concept Maria formed while on the Greek Island of Mykonos, Greekalicious is a culmination of the many years she has spent studying ancient Greek cuisine and travelling throughout Greece; alongside contemporary professional cookery experience. This successful business has expanded to include catering and culinary tours to Greece.
Much more than a financial decision, Greekalicious is Maria’s first and foremost love; providing her an opportunity to share and educate Australians about her Greek heritage and culture. With a comprehensive calendar of traditional and modern Greekalicious cooking classes located in Sydney; Maria blends unique and entertaining story telling with lively music to bring to life the colourful food and histories of regional Greece.
“When I cook I sense my family’s spirit and energy is with me and guiding me to produce dishes that capture cultural traditions, family secrets and something different,” says Maria. “So many people think that souvlaki and moussaka is all there is to Greek cooking, but I enjoy continually surprising family and friends with amazing Greek dishes that they never knew existed.
I feel compelled to share my dishes and culture through Greekalicious, making authentic and Modern Greek cooking available to everyone,” she says.
Maria is also a slow food advocate and was one of the delegates selected to represent Australia Slow Food at Terra Madre 2010 in Italy. Maria regularly appears on radio, television and the print media to share the Greek heritage that means so much to her.
Maria has also written a cook book titled “My Greek Family Table”, which also won the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards – Best Mediterranean Cuisine Book in Australia 2009.
“Food cooked with the Senses, Love and Harmony”
