dinner's ready
Greek flavors
maison 123
SPRING 2025
eleni
Eleni, a young chef from Paros, takes us on a journey of Greek flavors.
What inspires you to create new recipes, and how do you incorporate fresh ingredients into your daily cooking?
Traveling to me has been one of the most inspiring processes considering my cooking and my recipes. Learning of new ingredients and ways combined with my need of connecting and creating does the work.
Ingredients can also be the inspiration for a new recipe. Fresh ingredients are my favourite way to go, whatever lies at the markets counter, and love to adjust dishes, menus and my daily cooking to that.
What dish would you consider most representative of your culinary style and why?
This is a hard one as I don’t think I could choose ONE dish. My style depends on the season, the client, the mood, the reason. I like to cook fresh, comforting food and to me all food can be cooked that way.
What dish do you enjoy cooking for the people you care about most?
What I cook for my people also differs from time to time-also depends on the person the mood a the season.
Greek flavors
What role do you think food plays in creating special, memorable moments?
In my opinion food is a form of love, care, a reason to gather, to talk, so many things. Its absence is always noticeable. So yes I think food is essential in creating memorable moments.
Do you have a secret ingredient or technique that’s indispensable in your kitchen?
I wouldn’t say there is an ingredient or technique that I would consider indescribable- as a Greek I use mainly olive oil but not always. No secrets. Creativity, tradition, research trials, errors- is the way.
Greek flavors
As a woman in the kitchen, have you faced any unique challenges, and how did you overcome them to get where you are today?
The challenges that i faced as a woman in the kitchen have been mainly offensive commenting from coworkers. A few years later I made the decision to start working as a private chef in more controlled environments where I can choose my clients and coworkers.
If you could choose a Greek island for a culinary and yoga retreat, which one would it be and why?
Another hard one as Greece has more than 200 inhabited islands where each has its unique beauty.
I would consider Naxos for a culinary and Pilates retreat as of its diversity in landscapes to explore, its history and its tradition in agriculture and farming. Naxian products are distributed throughout the country and are of the finest.
Greek flavors
What defines Greek cuisine for you?
To me Greek cuisine is defined by simple, balanced and nutritious combinations of fresh ingredients that result to comfortable tasty foods! All this under the Greek sun- priceless.
RECIPE N°01
Slow cook Beef
with pasta in the oven
INGREDIENTS
Oven temperature: 180C
- 1 kg of beef
- 1 package of pasta
- 4 fresh tomatoes
- 2 onions
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup Olive oil
- 5 cups of water
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oregano
- Bay leaves
- Grated cheese
Preparation
1. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
2. Cut the onions and garlic in small pieces.
Put the meat in the tray and add the olive oil, onions and garlic!
3. Cover and bake in a moderate oven until golden brown and half done.
4. Grate the tomatoes and add them to the half baked beef and add them to the half baked beef add also half the water and bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper.
5. Cook until meat is tender and a juicy sauce is left at the bottom !
6. Add the rest of the water and wait for it to boil, add the pasta and stir occasionally so that they don’t stick.
7. Served with graded salty cheese like age gruyere.