Bringing fresh Mediterranean flavours to the heart of Dubai and says “it’s all about the Greek”

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Greece, South Peloponnesus, in the city of Kalamata. It is stunning.

Did you eat your veggies?

I did eat my veggies, very much so when I was young. I lived a real “farm to fork” lifestyle as I grew up in a family where we always had our own little farms with fresh produce.

When did you know you wanted to be a chef?

I knew I wanted to be a chef during my first apprenticeship when I worked at a 5-star hotel in Athens Greece. I knew I wanted to be not only a chef but an Executive Chef one day.

What is your favourite food memory?

Greece, Kalamata, and harvesting the trees with my family. Growing up we always had olive trees, the smell and flavour of the first green and slightly bitter oil is something you cannot easily forget.

Where were you trained, and how difficult was your training?

I trained in Michelin restaurants and 5-star hotels in Europe predominantly. I feel blessed and thankful for the experience I gained working in all these great kitchens with all these great chefs and regardless of how tough it was, if I could turn back time I would do exactly the same.

How do you get your inspiration?

From fresh produce, produce and more produce.

Favourite kitchen gadget?

My Misono knives

Best piece of advice you would give a home enthusiast?

Try not to follow recipes by the book. By all means get inspired by them, but real cooking comes from experimentation and discovery. Working with food is an art form and so there should always be room for creativity.

Best cooking tip for a novice just getting into the business?

Take your time and learn the basics, get to know how to fillet a fish or debone a lamb shoulder. Learn how to make a sauce from scratch and how to peel and cook a vegetable properly. Master the basics and go the next level.

What’s a popular dish at Conrad Dubai and what’s your spin on it?

Anása – our Greek salad, there is no spin on the classic, just simple, generous and made with real produce. The Korean crispy fried chicken with chili BBQ sauce is also to die for. If you ask me.

What products should we be buying in the UAE?

It’s all about the quality of ingredients in general. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a fresh piece of fish cooked with some freshly harvested and in-season vegetables, completed with some last-minute chopped herbs.

Five ‘must-have’ items in your basket.

Olive oil, butter, eggs, yoghurt, and tomatoes.

Funniest kitchen incident?

A customer once ordered mushroom sauce, but requested “no mushrooms please”.

Who in the food world do you most admire?

It would have to be Monsieur Alain Ducasse. His cuisine over the years is synonymous with quality and progression and has created innovative dining concept,s reflecting international influences. He has really inspired and continues to inspire many generations of chefs, myself being one of them.

Favourite foods to cook with?

I adore seafood; I love anything that comes from the ocean.

What do you think is the most challenging ingredient to work with?

I wouldn’t necessarily call it challenging but game always requires skills and special care.

What do you like to eat when you’re at home?

I love a BBQ, a top quality beef tomahawk steak, nicely rested and served simply with some fresh and fragrant vegetables.

Are there any foods you don’t like?

I’m not a big fan of spicy food. I just can’t enjoy it in the same way many others can.

Favourite cookbooks?

Many, I love cookbooks. Alain Passard and The Art of Cooking with Vegetables, and the recently published Whole Fish Cookbook by Josh Niland.

What is going to be the next big thing in the food world?

Heritage cooking was always the driver. Recently the Spanish and Nordic cuisine, the booming of Latin American food, traditionally the Japanese..

What do you do for fun?

Family first, outdoors activities. Music is also very important and I enjoy watching and playing football, because who doesn’t?

Where is your favourite place in the world?

I have many, but a recent trip to Iceland left me speechless. The landscape, nature, the volcanoes, the waterfalls, the springs the food. Just amazing.

If you had just one wish, what would it be?

To put an end to global hunger.

What would be your ‘Last Supper’ meal? Your ‘Death Row’ meal, as the late Anthony Bourdain puts it?

Let me think when this moment comes.

Ever found a place in Dubai so close to what a magical Greek island looks like? To us, that place is Anása. And that’s where the idea of Anása was born. A Greek gastronomic experience that brings you simple, yet delicious food. Anása, meaning “breath”, is a breath of fresh air in a relaxing urban oasis.

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