- Event: 6th Cretan Street Cooking Festival in Agios Nikolaos.
- Date: Friday, September 26, 2025, at Kitroplateia.
- Dedication: In memory of tourism pioneer Spyros Kokotos.
- Participants: Hotels, restaurants, wineries, cheesemakers, schools, and local associations.
- New twist: Culinary contest with the theme “Flavors of Mirabello.” Winning dishes may end up on restaurant menus with the creators’ names attached.
- Partners: Region of Crete’s Agri-Food Partnership and the Cretan Chefs Club.
Food Meets Memory
World Tourism Day is usually celebrated with speeches, panels, and polite applause. But in Agios Nikolaos, the municipality has chosen a better idea: feed everyone. On September 26, Kitroplateia will transform into an open-air kitchen for the 6th Cretan Street Cooking Festival.
This year’s edition carries a special dedication to Spyros Kokotos, the legendary hotelier whose vision and creativity helped upgrade Greek tourism before hashtags were invented. Honoring him with sizzling skillets and wine glasses may be the most fitting tribute.
What’s Cooking in Mirabello
Expect a crowd of:
- Hotels and restaurants showing off their chefs,
- Wineries pouring their best bottles,
- Cheesemakers are reminding us that Crete survives on mizithra,
- Local associations and schools are eager to prove they can cook as well as they can dance.
The 2025 twist is a gastronomic competition. Young chefs, women’s associations, and cultural groups will compete (politely) to see who can best capture the essence of the theme “Flavors of Mirabello.” Local restaurants will adopt the winning recipes, served proudly with the names of their creators. Imagine ordering “Maria’s Mirabello Lamb” next summer.
Partners in Cuisine
The festival is organized with the Region of Crete’s Agri-Food Partnership and the Cretan Chefs Club, ensuring that no plate leaves the square without both authenticity and flair.
Agios Nikolaos, already famous for its lake and nightlife, seems ready to add one more identity: the town where street cooking competes with fine dining. And on September 26, the only thing harder than finding parking will be leaving Kitroplateia hungry.
