Page 162 - ATHENS RIVIERA 2024

ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL
gourmet getaway

I f you were to ask the Myconian Ambassador

Hotel’s Executive Chef Ilias Maslaris exactly
where his love for cooking began, his answer
Gastronomic Mastery CHRISTOS DRAZOS way of being in the world, a craft that is full of
is very simple: in his grandmother’s kitchen.
Viewing the life of a chef as “a very direct

passion for produce and for people and work free of
routine”, Maslaris later honed his culinary skills in
Hailing from Thessaloniki, Greece’s culinary capital, some of the best restaurants in Greece and France to

Ilias Maslaris, Executive Chef of two renowned become the award winning chef he is today, known
for his dedication to celebrating both Greek cuisine
restaurants within the Myconian Collection took and authentic Mediterranean flavours. In the sleek
dining hall of the Efisia Greek Fine Dining, recently
time to talk to us about what he loves about his awarded at the Greek Cuisine Restaurant Awards
2024, nature takes centre stage, from the décor
vocation and exactly what inspires him. to the mouth-watering dishes. World-class food
exceeds expectations and dazzles diners thanks to
exquisite, organic ingredients, the day’s catch from
Interview by DESPOINA SAMPSON
nearby waters and expert cooking techniques. It’s a
combination perfectly executed by the team of Ilias
Maslaris, while dinner at Epico, Deos Mykonos’
restaurant, is the ultimate fine dining experience by
a true artisan who, after years in a Relais & Châteaux
kitchen, delights in returning to his roots with a
creative take on traditional Greek cuisine.
Which cuisine do you particularly recommend
that foreign visitors try when they dine at Efisia,
the fine-dining restaurant at the Myconian
Ambassador Hotel in Platis Gialos, Mykonos?
We mostly recommend that they try authentic
Greek cuisine, in dishes that combine tradition
with modern culinary techniques.
Do you have any favourite ingredients that
you tend to use when you’re in the process of
creating a new menu?
The truth is that there is no one specific ingredient
that takes centre stage when I go about creating a
menu. The focus is on seasonality and making sure
that we source the freshest produce.
What does sustainability signify for you and
how do you leverage its principles in a fine-
dining restaurant?
It’s very simple. I choose local producers, who
cultivate the products produced in our country
by following traditional production methods. We
also abide by a zero-waste policy in our kitchen as
we believe that everything can be re-used.
What have been the key milestones of your
career that have most influenced your career
so far?
I would have to single out my tenures in Greece Experience the epitome of fine dining with seasonal specials curated by artisan
chef, Ilias Maslaris. Opposite page, as day transitions to dusk, Epico at Deos
at the Macedonia Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki, Mykonos transforms into a mesmerizing nightspot.
and the Sani Resort in Kassandra, Chalkidiki, as
well as the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in the
Champagne region, France and La Maison des Têtes,
in Colmar, France. >

162 163