The ancient Greek Father of Medicine, Hippocrates penned that “all diseases begin in the gut”…
Maria Benardis
Maria Benardis
Maria Benardis is a Gourmand Award winning author, health coach, teacher, chef and founder of Greekalicious. After 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 she launched Greekalicious, Sydney’s first exclusively Greek cooking school—Benardis turned her passion for Greek cooking and everything Greek into a successful business that has expanded to include catering, culinary tours and products. Greekalicious was a concept Benardis formed while on the Greek Island of Mykonos where she had experienced her life changing calling and epiphany. Benardis published her first book titled My Greek Family Table (Penguin), which won the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards – Best Mediterranean Cuisine Book in Australia 2009, and this was followed by her ebook, A Greekalicious Feast. She has long been passionate about her Greek heritage and culture, and in particular her native cuisine where she spent some of her childhood years growing up on the remote island of Psara. Benardis is also a slow food advocate and was one of the delegates selected to represent Australia Slow Food at Terra Madre 2010 in Italy. Benardis regularly appears on radio, television and the print media to enthusiastically share the Greek heritage, its food and healing wisdoms that create vibrant health, and a balanced and peaceful life.