Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries

Discover the secrets of Crete's wild nature, culture and cuisine during botanical hikes, visits to historic sites, organic farms, wineries and villages off the map. Journeys change with the seasons and include organic olive oil production, beekeeping, winemaking, cheesemaking and always eating well.

Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries is an award-winning program for best practices in Responsible Travel. Our all-local network of chefs, sustainable organic farmers, botanists, conservationists, and archaeologists work together to present an invaluable experience for visiting friends. CCS also organizes accredited study abroad programs for academic institutions, including University of Missouri and University of Wisconsin. Programs are approved by leading culinary and sustainable tourism organizations. A grassroots ACTION program to preserve Crete's culture and natural beauty.

CCS Founder, Nikki Rose, is a Greek American professional chef, writer and seminar director living in Crete. She is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and worked in fine dining in the USA and France. Chef Rose has published over 100 articles and contributed to books, TV and radio programs focusing on cuisine, heritage preservation and sustainable tourism. Rose formed CCS in 1997 to help provide tangible support to residents working on action programs to protect their cultural and natural heritage. CCS organizes a range of dynamic seminars for the public and academic institutions. Rose/CCS has received numerous awards from National Geographic, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN-World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development, WTTC, and is featured in National Geographic, NPR, New York Times and Lonely Planet. Rose frequently speaks at international conferences and is an adviser for sustainable tourism/culinary heritage projects around the world. Rose’s book, “Crete: The Roots of the Mediterranean Diet,“ highlights over 14 years of her experience.

Award-winning program for best practices in Responsible Travel