There are Many Reasons why you should learn to cook classical Greek food.
I worked as a chef in our Greek restaurants and started cooking Greek food when I was about six years old. We came to Northern Ireland in 1981 and opened up our first Greek restaurant called the Symposium Greek Restaurant. We then opened another 5 restaurants over a period of 12 years before my father decided to retire.
Throughout this time we had many regular customers who used to love the food and atmosphere in our restaurants. In some cases we where booked up on Saturday nights for up to four weeks in advance. When my father decided to retire I decided to do a full time catering qualification to become a chef which took me three years of my life. I got my chefs qualifications and then got a work placement in a Michelin star restaurant “Roscoff” in Bradbury Place in Belfast, working for Paul and Jeannie Rankin. I ended up working there for almost three years. While sitting a basic and advanced Pattiserie Exam which I got credits in.
I then became pastry chef in “Shanks” Restaurant Beside Blackwood Show in AthensLinks to an external site. Golf Club in Bangor working for Robbie Millar for two years, while I was working there we also got a Michelin star. I then worked in the “Culloden Hotel” ,which was a five star hotel, as chef for two years in Cultra Hollywood although to be honest I wasn’t really impressed by their standard of food. Of all the top chefs I have met and worked with and all the Restaurants I have worked in, Greek Food is still my favourite Food. It is really tasty, Healthy and completely different from most other foods.
The use of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the salads oregano fresh from the mountains beautiful ripe red tomatoes,together with feta cheese, marinated meats served accompanied by Pitta bread and tzatziki is mouthwateringly delicious.
The fish in the seaside town of Loutsa near Athens in Greece is to die for served with skordalia(Greek Garlic Dip) and Freshly squeezed Lemon juice straight from the lemon tree, to me is the best thing since sliced bread.