Kids Souvlaki School — Roll, Wrap & Taste the Fun

How the Souvlaki School Started

Souvlaki School wasn't a grand strategy — it was an obvious idea once we said it out loud. We spend every day making souvlaki. We do it properly: halal-certified meats, fresh pita, house-made tzatziki, flame-grilled proteins. And every time families visit with kids, the young ones are always watching the kitchen, peeking over the counter, fascinated by the process.

We thought: what if we just invited them in?

In partnership with Eastland Shopping Centre, we carved out three days in the school holiday period and put together a proper, hands-on souvlaki-making experience. Not a watching session — a doing session. Kids get their hands on the ingredients, learn what goes in, wrap it themselves, and eat it at the end.

Eastland has been a brilliant partner in this. Their team provides colouring sheets and activity packs to keep younger siblings occupied, has a staff member on hand to help with check-ins, and promoted the event through their own channels. It's a genuine collaboration — the kind that works when both parties actually care about the experience.

What Happens in a Session

Each session runs with a maximum of 16 kids. We keep it small on purpose. This isn't a production line — it's a proper learning experience, and small groups mean every child gets attention, gets to ask questions, and gets the full hands-on time.

Here's roughly how each session goes:

• 1Kids are welcomed at the back of the venue, which we've set aside as the activity space. Parents can sit nearby — and we encourage them to order drinks and something to eat while the session runs.
• 2The Yassas team introduces souvlaki — where it comes from, what makes it Greek, and why the ingredients matter. We talk about the halal meats we use and why that's important to us as a restaurant.
• 3Each child gets their own station with fresh pita, prepared proteins (chicken and lamb), and all the toppings: tzatziki, tabouleh, tomato, onion, and our house seasoning mix.
• 4The team guides them through the assembly process — warm the pita, layer the proteins, add the sauces, roll it properly. Anyone who's tried to wrap a souvlaki for the first time knows there's actually a technique to it.
• 5They eat what they made. This part, unsurprisingly, is the highlight.

It's part education, part activity, entirely delicious. And the look on a kid's face when they bite into something they've made themselves? That's worth every minute of preparation.

The Eastland Partnership

Yassas has been at Eastland for years, and this event is a reflection of what that relationship looks like when it's working well. Eastland isn't just a landlord — they're a community hub for the Ringwood and Maroondah area, and they actively support activations that bring families in and give people a reason to visit beyond shopping.

For school holidays especially, Eastland looks for experiences that make the centre a destination. Souvlaki School fits perfectly: it's activity-based, family-friendly, something you can't do anywhere else, and it ties directly to the food offering.

"We wanted to do something that brought kids into the Greek food story — not just as diners, but as participants. Souvlaki School is that. It's joyful, it's educational, and it's uniquely us."

Why School Holidays Are the Perfect Time

School holidays are one of the highest-footfall periods for any shopping centre-based restaurant. Families are out, they're looking for things to do, and they're more likely to make a day of it — multiple stops, a proper lunch, maybe a dessert. Eastland captures a huge catchment area: Ringwood, Croydon, Mooroolbark, Lilydale, Bayswater, Heathmont.

Souvlaki School turns that footfall into something memorable. A family who brings their child to a cooking class at Yassas doesn't just have lunch — they have a story. That kind of experience builds loyalty in a way that a discount voucher never could.

It also connects directly to our broader family initiative. Starting Monday April 13, Kids Eat Free at Yassas Eastland on Mondays to Thursdays — one free kids meal with every adult main. Souvlaki School kicks off on the same day, making this week a proper family moment for us at Eastland.

What Families Said

Sessions fill up fast and the feedback has been immediate. Parents love that it's interactive rather than passive — kids are engaged, not just sitting and watching. The small group size means no child gets lost in the crowd, and the Yassas team's approach keeps it relaxed and fun rather than overly structured.

A few things consistently came up from families: kids loved the freedom to customise their souvlaki, the tzatziki was a bigger hit than expected (kids who "don't like sauce" apparently change their tune when they made it themselves), and parents were surprised by how much their children learned about where food comes from and how it's prepared.

Several families stayed for a full meal after the session. That's exactly the outcome we hoped for — not as a business strategy, but because it means the experience genuinely added value to their day.

About the Meat We Use

One thing we always mention in the souvlaki school sessions: all the meat at Yassas is halal-certified. We explain this to kids in a simple, positive way — the meat we use comes from suppliers who take care in how the animals are raised and prepared. It's a gentle introduction to thinking about where food comes from, and it's something we're genuinely proud of.

For families where halal sourcing matters, Souvlaki School is a completely inclusive experience. Nobody needs to ask or double-check — it's just how we do things.

Can I Still Get a Spot?

As of Monday April 13, Tuesday and Wednesday sessions are sold out. There is one remaining spot for Monday's session. Bookings are managed through the Eastland website — if you'd like to grab that last spot, head to the link below before it's gone.

If you missed out this time, this won't be the last Souvlaki School we run. Follow us on Instagram @yassasthegreekway and keep an eye on Eastland's events page for future activations — school holidays come around four times a year, and we plan to make each one count.

Come for the School, Stay for Lunch

If your family is heading to the session, we'd love to have you stay and eat with us after. The back of house returns to normal service post-session, and the team is ready to look after you properly. Order from the full menu, grab some meze for the table, let the kids share stories about what they made.

And if you're bringing the kids during school holidays more broadly, remember: Kids Eat Free Monday to Thursday at Eastland from April 13. One free kids meal with every adult main — no vouchers, no fuss.