London is one of the gourmet capitals of the world, with cuisine from hundreds of countries,but the food of Greece is woefully under represented. Greek restaurants have been a feature of the British high street since the fifties but they don’t appear to have progressed to cater for the catholic tastes of modern Britain. Indeed they seem mired in an earlier time when Moussaka and Kebabs were the main dishes on the menu, the only wine served was Retsina and the evening's highlight was the sound of the waiters smashing plates on the floor. The Greek tourist board is now making a concerted effort to remedy the situation and working with restaurants to bring Aegean specialties to their menus. Its campaign is called "The Taste of Greece"
Restaurants Sign Up For a Taste of Greece
The Greek tourist board has already recruited 35 restaurants and bars, across Britain, and more are expected to join later. They’ll add classic Greek dishes to their menus, together with more modern variations, and use uniquely Greek ingredients. Foodies across the country visiting the “Taste of Greece” restaurants will be able to sample exciting new recipes and sip delicious Greek cocktails. They’ll also be able to enter competitions to win luxury trips to the country.
Launch is at London’s Cookbook Café, in Mayfair’s Intercontinental Hotel
Giving the festival a kick start at Mayfair’s Cookbook Cafe were top chefs Christoforos Peskias and Stelios Parliaros along with cocktail ‘mixologist’ Aristotelis Papadopoulos. In front of a packed audience of chefs and journalists, they demonstrated their skills and served up modern Greek gourmet delicacies
Christoforos Peskias Prepares Trachana and Pork Belly Souvlaki
Christof comes from Cyprus but trained with Charlie Trotter in the USA. He returned to Greece and has worked in restaurants like Dash, Rock ’n Roll and Balthazar. He now runs the kitchen at 48, one of Athens top dining spots. His Cream of Trachana (Greek pasta) Soup, Pork Belly Souvlaki, and Potatoes with Grilled Country Sausage, were all delicious and were matched with a selection of Greek wines.
Stelios Parliaros Dishes up Submarine Desert
Stelioswas born in Constantinople but studied in Athens where he discovered a talent for sweet things. In 1980 he created the pastry shop Fresh and changed the course of confectionery in Greece. Today he’s a top TV chef and author of 8 books. His delights included Chocolate Cake with Aegina Island Nuts, “Submarine”, (Greek Ricotta with Mastic), and Feta Cheese Mousse with Dried Fruit.
World's Best Barman, Aristotelis Papadopoulos, Mixes Exotic Cocktails
Aristotelis was named best barman of the world in 2009 after a global competition which saw 6,000 bartenders from 24 countries shake and stir their way to the finals. At the Cook Book Café he stunned the audience with his unique and inventive take on Greek cocktails. Two Martinis, one in homage to Tzatziki, and the other to Baklava, wowed the assembled guests.
The Greeks Need to Learn From the Italians and Promote Regional Food
The great strength of Greek food is its diversity, drawing inspiration from its regions and 3000 islands. The quality of ingredients is key, particularly olive oil and fresh herbs and spices. Goat and lamb are invariably free range and the crystal clear waters of the Aegean and Ionian Seas abound with fish. The challenge for Greek chefs in Britain is to source those ingredients and use them to put regional specialties on the menu. In London, the Italians already have restaurants dedicated to food from particular areas, whether Sardinian or Venetian. Its about time Greece did the same – a Cretan restaurant could be a sure-fire hit.
Rupert Parker - Rupert Parker is journalist, photographer, cameraman and TV Producer. He specializes in factual programming and has worked for the BBC, ...
Join the Conversation