_JPG.jpg)
South Alentejo, Portugal
Overview
For the inaugural women-only retreat, Ways , the cavernous topic of Portuguese culinary heritage will come to life over four days at Helder Farm Studios in the South Alentejo countryside. We’ll trace the histories of migration and trade that brought new ingredients into Portugal and carried Portuguese staples outward across the globe. Journal at the ready, we’ll unpack stories like how bacalhau, the nation's beloved salt-cured cod, actually hails from Nordic waters, and explore the roles of salt, butter and olive oil in shaping Portugal’s food identity.
About the Event
Ways of Feasting is a new food and wine retreat series unpacking how we eat – and why it matters – through food-lensed conversations and workshops around history, identity, immigration and community. All brought together by sumptuous feasts, of course.
We’ll look to the past, we’ll look to the future, we’ll look to each other – to discover food as memory, food as pleasure, food as self-practice and food as a portal to our personal and shared histories. From salt to sweet potato, single ingredients become prisms through which we devour forgotten origins, inherited techniques and the politics of the plate, all while sipping our way through the region’s storied traditions of wine and port.
A food syllabus (constellations away from the ones you were required to read at school) guides daily discussions, and indulgence takes the wheel every time we meet at the table.
Highlights include:
-
Open-fire, family-style feasts cooked by Julia Khan Anselmo, the visionary chef behind Feisty Feast
-
Wine and port tastings and pairings, plus conversations led by food anthropologist and sommelier, Nikolina Skenderija of Ritual Wine
-
Daily breakfasts by NOMS x Helder Studios
-
Field trips to neighbouring farms and olive groves
-
Workshops on culinary migration, preservation techniques, food identity and the contrasts between butter-rich island traditions and the mainland’s olive oil-driven dishes
-
Excursions into nature, including sunrise swims and sunset walks (all optional)
-
Outdoor movie nights under the type of expansive star-lit skies one can only dream of in the city
-
Foraging on the farm
As the name suggests, expect the tendrils of learning to come together over generously-prepared feasts each evening. More than anything, this is an edible education – relaxed, indulgent and intellectually satisfying – designed for those as hungry for knowledge as they are for hyper-seasonal, collaboratively-prepared food.
Leave full in every sense of the word.
The Food
Portugal is the great untold story of food, yet often reduced abroad to its pastel de nata. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find cooking shaped by contrasts and centuries of movement: sweet potatoes and spices brought from afar, rice and corn absorbed into local dishes, wine, olive oil, pork and bread carried from Portugal outward to Brazil, Mozambique and beyond.
Expect food drawn from this wellspring of stories. Glossy broths and salted bacalhau; meats, seafood and vegetables cooked over fire; butter from distant Azores islands playing against mainland olive oil. There will be explorations of salt, whose crystalline bite defines the country’s palate and preserves its dishes, and excursions to olive groves where oil is best tasted fresh from the press. And then there’s the Montado – Portugal’s uniquely intricate cork ecosystem – where sheep and goats graze beneath cork oaks, their milk subtly flavoured by the land on which they feed.
All of this, and more, will appear in abundance on tables each mealtime. Portuguese-inspired dishes punctuated by discovery yet rooted in time-honoured techniques and the unmatched joy of eating simply, and eating well.
The Wine
Portugal’s winemaking tradition finds one of its most recognisable expressions in Port. We’ll host a tasting workshop to taste and better understand the history and preparation of this centuries-old, fortified staple. Elsewhere, there will be wine-pairing dinners and explorations of the native varieties of the south, culminating in a visit to a local producer. We’ll also delve into contemporary wine culture through the lens of the TV series Drops of God.
Wine photos by Mario Münster
The Stay
Stay in a lovingly restored farmhouse in the quiet valley of Montinho do Gois. Wake up to birdsong and views overlooking the vegetable garden, where nourishing breakfasts are enjoyed together each morning and our resident donkey roams free. This intimate retreat offers six self-sufficient studios, each with its own bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, accommodating up to 14 women across two farmhouses. Six rooms are shared, each with individual beds. One additional room can be booked privately or shared with a close friend; note that this bed is not separable.
Meet the hosts
Feisty Feast
Julia Khan Anselmo is the chef and founder of Feisty Feast, an Amsterdam-based studio that builds community through food. A Canadian native with Trinidadian and Portuguese roots, Julia began Feisty Feast over a decade ago as intimate dinners in her Vancouver apartment, evolving it into an agency dedicated to immersive women-only events that explore food as a lens for culture, identity and connection. Food, people and ideas gather at her tables. Her cooking references the elegance of classic cuisines yet remains approachable and generous, ticking along to the pace of the seasons. Her ethos revolves around simplicity – to her mind the hardest thing to achieve, yet the height of beauty and flavour – bringing out the best from each ingredient, often through techniques that reward patience and time.
Ritual Wine
Nikolina Skenderija is a food anthropologist, wine distributor and sommelier. Born in Bosnia, she moved to Berlin at 18, studying German Literature and then Anthropology with a focus on food culture. Her research explores the history of food, its relationship to death, politics and the arts. She’s held a fellowship at the Institute for Cultural Studies in Vienna, and her writing has appeared in publications like Oxford Food Studies and the Journal for Culinary Studies. While studying, she founded Ritual Cuisine, a supper-club series hosted in her Berlin apartment, later evolving into a platform for recipes, food travel and photography. Her deepening interest in wine led to the launch of Ritual Wine, a Berlin-based distribution company. Nikolina now splits her time between Berlin and Greece, where she is head sommelier at Cantina on the island of Sifnos.
Noms du Jour
Madeleine Woon is an Australian writer, editor and the co-founder of Noms du Jour, technically based in Amsterdam but more often found hopping around the Greek islands. She began her career with magazines like Oyster, Marie Claire, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar, has worked with luxury brands from Cartier to Hotel De L’Europe, and now contributes essays on food, travel and culture to publications including T: The New York Times Style Magazine and RUSSH. A preoccupation with the human condition has always been the driving force in both her work and life, and she’s at her best when interviewing chefs for NOMS or discovering new places through food and conversation.
Co-founder of Helder Farm Studios
Meet our 26-year-old art/fashion photographer, a Dutch Photo Academy Amsterdam graduate. With experience in producing photo and video projects, she brings a keen sense of content creation to our Helder Farm Studios. Specialising in human and natural forms, she’s developed an unique artistic style within photography and pottery. She’ll play a crucial role in organizing events on the property and contributing fresh ideas to enhance our farmstead experience. Besides that, she is taking care of the landscaping, can often be found in the vegetable garden and greenhouse or preparing nourishing meals in the kitchen.
Info
-
Check-in is on Sunday at 3PM
-
Check-out is on Saturday at 10 AM
-
Upon booking you will receive a guest intake form with a more detailed information letter
-
It’s an international retreat so all communication will be in English
-
-
4x night stay at Helder Farm Studios
-
4x nourishing breakfasts
-
3x flavorful lunches (1x lunch off-site)
-
4x garden dinners
-
1x workshop led by Feisty Feast
-
3x wine tasting by Ritual Wine
-
2x food discussions around food by Ritual Wine
-
1x outdoor cinema night
-
1x traditional Portuguese cooking workshop with a local chef
-
1x off-site excursion to a nearby farm
*Please note, the exact itinerary is subject to change slightly ahead of the retreat.
-
-
Flight to/from Portugal
-
Transport from the train station Santa Clara Saboia to Helder Farm Studios (possible for an additional fee)
-
Travel/medical insurance
-
-
Shared room: This room is a spacious studio with bedroom, private bathroom and kitchen, and will be shared with another participant. This bed can be separated.
-
Private or shared friend room: This room is a spacious studio with a bedroom, private bathroom and outdoor kitchen. This room is for people who want more privacy or who is attending the retreat with a close friend. This bed is a fixed bed and can’t be separated.
-
Meet our Hosts
Julia Khan Anselmo
Feisty Feast
Julia Khan Anselmo is the chef and founder of Feisty Feast, an Amsterdam-based studio that builds community through food. A Canadian native with Trinidadian and Portuguese roots, Julia began Feisty Feast over a decade ago as intimate dinners in her Vancouver apartment, evolving it into an agency dedicated to immersive women-only events that explore food as a lens for culture, identity and connection. Food, people and ideas gather at her tables. Her cooking references the elegance of classic cuisines yet remains approachable and generous, ticking along to the pace of the seasons. Her ethos revolves around simplicity – to her mind the hardest thing to achieve, yet the height of beauty and flavour – bringing out the best from each ingredient, often through techniques that reward patience and time.
Nikolina Skenderija
Ritual Wine
Nikolina Skenderija is a food anthropologist, wine distributor and sommelier. Born in Bosnia, she moved to Berlin at 18, studying German Literature and then Anthropology with a focus on food culture. Her research explores the history of food, its relationship to death, politics and the arts. She’s held a fellowship at the Institute for Cultural Studies in Vienna, and her writing has appeared in publications like Oxford Food Studies and the Journal for Culinary Studies. While studying, she founded Ritual Cuisine, a supper-club series hosted in her Berlin apartment, later evolving into a platform for recipes, food travel and photography. Her deepening interest in wine led to the launch of Ritual Wine, a Berlin-based distribution company. Nikolina now splits her time between Berlin and Greece, where she is head sommelier at Cantina on the island of Sifnos.
Madeleine Woon
Noms du Jour
Madeleine Woon is an Australian writer, editor and the co-founder of Noms du Jour, technically based in Amsterdam but more often found hopping around the Greek islands. She began her career with magazines like Oyster, Marie Claire, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar, has worked with luxury brands from Cartier to Hotel De L’Europe, and now contributes essays on food, travel and culture to publications including: The New York Times Style Magazine and RUSSH. A preoccupation with the human condition has always been the driving force in both her work and life, and she’s at her best when interviewing chefs for NOMS or discovering new places through food and conversation.
Esmee Brandwijk
Co-founder of Helder Farm Studios
Esmee is a photographer and creative spirit with a deep love for storytelling and aesthetics. A graduate of the Dutch Photo Academy in Amsterdam, she spent years traveling the world, gathering inspiration that now shapes her work and lifestyle. Rooted in Portugal, Esmee created a unique farmstay where art, nature and hospitality come together. With an eye for design, she transformed the rustic space into a warm, authentic retreat. Curious and hands-on, she spends her days organising meaningful retreats, capturing moments and often tending the garden or preparing meals from the farm’s harvest.
.jpg)
-
Check-in is on Sunday at 3PM
-
Check-out is on Saturday at 10 AM
-
Upon booking you will receive a guest intake form with a more detailed information letter
-
It’s an international retreat so all communication will be in English
-
Please note: The retreat menu will be centred around meat and seafood. While we are happy to accommodate pescatarian diets, those following vegetarian or vegan diets may find it difficult to fully participate in the culinary experience.
FAQs
Helder Farm Studios is located in the South of Portugal. The closest airport is Faro, 1 Hour and 25 minutes.
Lisbon airport is also an option, 2 Hours and 30 minute drive.Both Faro and Lisbon offer a train to Santa Clara Saboia, 20 minutes from the property, pick-up by us for a small additional fee.
Yes you can come with a friend, but traveling alone is also an option. This retreat is about connection and making new friends along the week.
If you come together with a friend, please let us know, so we can give you the same room.
Yes, we will take allergies and dietary restrictions into account.
There is a non-refundable deposit of 800 to pay when booking. The remaining amount is due 6 weeks before the retreat.
There is a non-refundable deposit of 800 to pay when booking. You can cancel your stay up to 6 weeks before the start of the retreat, after this no refund will be given. If you do want to cancel, please get in touch immediately and we will do our best to help. Please make sure you have travel insurance in case any unforeseen circumstances occur that might affect your travel plans.
Terms & Conditions
Every booking means a lot to us, so please read our terms and conditions before booking.
By making a reservation, you acknowledge and agree to the following terms:
A non-refundable deposit of 600 euro is required to secure your place.
The remaining balance must be paid in full 6 weeks before the start date of the retreat. Failure to do so may result in losing your reservation.The deposit is non-refundable under any circumstances.
If you cancel more than 6 weeks before the retreat, you will receive a refund minus the deposit.
If you cancel within 6 weeks of the retreat start date, no refund will be given.
If the retreat is canceled by the organizers, you will receive a full refund, including the deposit.Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to and from the retreat location.
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to cover unforeseen circumstances such as illness, flight cancellations, or emergencies.
The retreat organizers are not responsible for any travel disruptions or delays.Please inform us in advance of any food allergies, dietary restrictions, or medical conditions that may affect your participation.
While we strive to accommodate dietary needs, we cannot guarantee a completely allergen-free environment.Participants acknowledge that they take part in the retreat at their own risk.
The retreat organizers are not liable for any personal injury, illness, loss, or damage of personal belongings.
Guests are responsible for respecting the property, staff, and other participants. Any damage caused must be covered by the guest.The retreat schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions, availability of local ingredients, or unforeseen circumstances.
We reserve the right to modify the itinerary to ensure the best possible experience for our guests.We foster a respectful and inclusive environment. Any disruptive behavior may result in removal from the retreat without refund.
Guests are expected to respect local customs, staff, and fellow participants.
By booking your place, you confirm that you have read and agreed to these terms and conditions.For any questions, please contact us at. We look forward to welcome you!