He plucked with two fingers a sprout from a plant that encroached upon the stone path we walked on. Panagiotis Magganas’ eyes glowed with pride as he held out the bean called Azogires for me to examine. Then the broad-shouldered Cretan explained, in the same tone a museum director might use, how he and his fellow farmers are reclaiming an ancient food source almost lost to the culinary world. “You see? These large beans were once prevalent on the island, but the plant almost went extinct,” he explained. “We obtained a few seeds from a local farmer, and now our friends and guests can enjoy an authentic Cretan recipe that will not be lost forever.”
Magganas owns Peskesi in the heart of Crete’s capital of Heraklion. The stylish restaurant that serves only traditional Cretan dishes has been deemed one of the world’s finest traditional cuisine restaurants. The reason it’s one of the best in the world stems from the regenerative agriculture farm that supplies ingredients for authentic Cretan dishes plated there. Magganas’s restaurant thrives, while many others have failed here on Crete. So, I was excited to get the chance to visit his farm finally. I did not know what to expect as I drove the few miles into the Crete wilds. What I discovered was not the typical co-called AgroTourism operation like many we’ve visited all over Crete and throughout Greece. I expected the same gesture toward the popular “sustainability” trends most businesses make, but what I found surprised me in many ways.
Seeds for Eden
Twenty-five years ago, Magganas told me, he drove to the current location of Peskesi Organic Farm with a local landowner to discuss buying the property. The 14-hectare (about 35 acres) tract is a remote plot near the Gouves beaches. The road to the farm is an adventure in nature, the final kilometer of which made me consider how Eden was born. East and slightly South of Heraklion, the property offers profoundly beautiful vistas facing out to sea, and the drive there gives the visitor a surprise around every corner.
Magganas and I sat down at one of the fifteen-foot-long tables made from a single plank of wood from a local plane tree that had fallen. At first, our discussion centered around the Peskesi owner’s decision to buy this particular tract of land. At length, he told me that when he crested a hill and saw Dia Island and the Cretan Sea in the distance, he decided to buy without further thought. Cradled by high hills on three sides, the heart of the farm sits on what Maggas calls “the head,” a prominent ridge dividing the larger valley.
In the middle of this high ridge, flanked by innumerable growing patches, orchards, livestock pens, and vineyards, is a central kaffeneo (gathering place) and a unique outdoor kitchen. Walking the stone path leading from the crude driveway, I instantly understood Magganas’ wonder about this place. The first thing that strikes you about the farm is the way the rocky, arid desert landscape is being rejuvenated. Reborn is the idea that comes to mind. It’s not an overstatement to call the green patch a small Eden in the heart of our sunbaked isle. I expect the Golden Eagles that wing the skies overhead must marvel at the patch of lush green on a table of bleached craggy boulders and prickly, tan shrubs.
The Circular Path
To understand what Panagiotis Magganas has created here on Greece’s largest island, one must envision a simple culinary tradition begun from Crete’s Terroir (Fr. tɛrwar). This French idea tells us that the unique combination of factors that give foods and wines distinctive character are environmental and farming practices. Also, it’s essential to grasp the true meaning of regenerative agriculture and, more importantly, regenerative economics. So, along with the world-famous restaurant, Magganas’ holistic approach is a perfect regenerative agriculture prototype. The key is that Magganas involves more than a series of processes. His business is a journey into our relationship with nature. Dr. Charles Massy, Regenerative Farmer, scientist, and author, defines the process this way:
“Regenerative agriculture implies more than just sustaining something but rather an active rebuilding or regeneration of existing systems towards full health. It also implies an open-ended process of ongoing improvement and positive transformation.”
Another vital facet of this regenerative business is the family of people who carry out the day-to-day tasks. The Peskesi owner relies on his brother and other family members, along with a like-minded staff dedicated to extraordinary gastronomy and the need for human endeavours to be genuinely regenerative. Over the years, I met many of Peskesi Restaurant’s excellent staff via casual dining experience.
The people running the farm, the kitchen, and the cafe felt like “the source” of the wholesomeness one gets at the restaurant in town. Agelos, Vagelis, Nantia, Norris, and George, Panos’s brother, greatly enjoy what they do. Maybe I can better express the exceptional quality I am about via words from the great Seneca about the nature of us playing our parts. The philosopher once said, “Life’s like a play: it’s not the length, but the excellence of the acting that matters.”
In the same way that Magganas chose an ideal place for his farm and an ideal location for his now legendary restaurant, he aligned himself with the most professional, driven, and kind people to share his dream. Nothing is perfect, as they say, but the people working with this Cretan entrepreneur come close. Each one seems dedicated to the same vision Magganas has. And this is a vital aspect of his business. It’s a factor that should be irreplaceable in any service-oriented endeavour. The shared vision is essential if true excellence is the goal.
The way Magganas’ business scheme addresses the “little things” reminded me of how regenerative practices are our best chance at tracing the correct path for the future. The man who carved a bio farm out of a wilderness and created a circular model for business with his restaurant can teach us a lot about this. However, the farmer/restauranteur’s ideas, innovations, and methods are not new. The Keftiu, the ancient people of Crete, commonly called “Minoan” these days, practiced regenerative economics like a religion.
Keftiu by Nature
The Keftiu (Minoans) were masters of the ‘ecstatic,’ which refers to unusual divinely induced sensations. The ancient people of Crete achieved these ecstatic sensations through interacting with nature in deeply personal ways. Their religion was based on animism, or the belief that God resides in everything. It has also been suggested that the Keftiu religion should be viewed from an ecological perspective. These ancient people did not practice worshipping goddesses and the like to obtain a desired end. Instead, the Keftiu viewed nature as an integral aspect of life. They practiced a more intimate relationship by conceiving of humans and nature as part of a unified network.
In my conversations with Panos Magganas during a food sampling experience, I was surprised by how authentic Cretan cuisine depends on the unique environment of Crete and its regions. This aspect has a broader application when considering the unique characteristics of agricultural products and regenerative practices. Watching other guests at the farm’s open kitchen marching out to gather the vegetables and fruits for their culinary experience reminded me of the Keftiu intimacy with nature that created ephemeral experiences. Our connection with the farm began with a plate of extraordinary cheeses, olives, and a traditional dolmades dish made with wheat instead of rice. The rich aromas and brisk tastes were exceptional and unusual in our experience.
And the food gave us the energy for a tour of the farm. The day’s highlight was a savory bean salad made with the usual variety of string beans and an almost extinct broad variety called Azogires. These are the large, wide beans that Panos and other local farmers are trying to reinstitute. The seed bank Magganas showed us at the farm seemed like the ultimate Keftiu reclamation project.
“In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This afternoon at the farm taught us, with every bite of meticulously prepared Cretan cuisine, the process lesson Panos offered. We sampled one of Crete’s and Greece’s most celebrated olive oil with freshly made bread from the wood oven. We were shown most of the produce in the various fields before consuming the traditional dishes created with them. I was particularly impressed by the great attention given by Panos and his colleagues to explaining every dish. It was nice to rediscover that Crete is the place of origin of “Filoxenia,” or the love for the unknown stranger from the Zeus parable. Interposing my studies of the Keftiu, it’s clear that myth and legend can sometimes be more meaningful and genuine than empirical study. The point is that Magganas’ Peskesi Farm is part of a slow rebirth of that ancient Keftiu nature network. From the hand-laid stones meandering between paddocks to the free-ranging chickens and turkeys, the menagerie of living things or nature surrounding us gripped me with a sense of wonder and hope.
Retracing Our Path
For some years now, business and the political establishment have hammered into the collective psyche the flawed idea that “sustainability” will save our dreams and the future. But too much damage has already been done to our world. Using a strategy, creating laws, and passing along ideas that sustain what we have now is not the way. We must regenerate our world at the micro and macro levels. Or locally and globally. The only way to accomplish this is through efforts like the lifeswork of Magganas and those like him. Whether or not you believe we are in a climate crisis, the words of Naomi Klein resonate.
“The climate crisis demands that we abandon the extractive, profit-driven logic of capitalism and embrace a new, regenerative economy that prioritizes human well-being and ecological health.”
Extractive business and civil activity became a problem when we, as inhabitants of Earth, began taking more than we put back. We can redeem our legacy by rethinking our systems and our beliefs. And as the Peskesi Farm owner shows, the task is not only possible. It’s a worthwhile way of life. We must find our way back, before we go forward another step.
Finally, another kudo for Magganas is his role in creating the fine dining restaurant Thymises at the Pnoé Breathing Life resort at Karteros Beach, outside Heraklion. This immersive feasting experience serves Crete’s authentic flavours in a chic, idyllic fine dining setting, with dishes featuring ingredients from Peskesi Farm. The hotel’s location at Amnissos Beach is significant because of the nearby Minoan ruins. I mention this endeavour because the venture illustrates that regenerative agriculture or a regenerative economy are not dead ends. There’s always room for growth if the goal is to give more than we take. You see, Pnoé Breathing Life is a reclamation project as well. This resort, the vision of Marita Karatzi, CEO, President and Owner of MK Hotel Collection, transformed a dilapidated ruin of a seafront hotel into a functional design masterpiece a Keftiu architect would be inspired by. So, at least in the case of Peskesi and Pnoé, retracing steps leads to authentic regenerative economics.
If you journey to Crete, dine at least once at Peskesi. And if you have the time, visit the farm that is an oasis of hope and ideas. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll discover the connection, the intimacy the Keftiu once knew.
