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114 TASTE/ DOMES NORUZ CHANIA

Cretan producers. Ingredients
are equally important. It’s really
hard for me to choose because
there is no one ingredient that
is more important than others.
A humble “ofti” potato cooked
on charcoal, an organic tomato,
or even our sea salt from Balos
beach are all unique and indis-
pensable! When you place all
three of these components on
a plate, you get a masterpiece
of flavor… with or without our
exquisite olive oil!

Which flavors of Crete stand
out for you?
I visit one of Chania’s farm-
ers’ markets at least every week.
I think that out all the stalls, I
wine production. As for those How would you describe the am drawn to the ones that sell
with a sweet tooth, they’ll be food at Zeen restaurant? many different varieties of wild
spoiled for choice by the inven- With tradition, simplicity and Cretan greens. Some are sweet,
tive selection of desserts, with love for the produce of our land others salty, or bitter, or aromat-
everything from homemade as our tenets, we continue to ic… There’s an incredible wealth
ice cream to Rakomelo Baba, explore and discover the val- of flavors within this category of
which uses local raki, and the ues of Cretan cooking – but we vegetable, and you can use them
chocolate-packed Cretan Ba- also work to take our cuisine in all sorts of recipes – from pies
nana with a Twist. Just one last further, to enhance it without to salads, cooked greens, in the
tip for you: In our opinion, the losing sight of the fundamen- pot or in the pan with meat or
sophisticated Kserotigano des- tals. We love to share the re- fish… literally everywhere!
sert is simply to die for, with lo- sults with diners. We use ingre-
cal mizithra cheese, yogurt ice dients produced on Crete: olive Do you combine local and in-
cream, thyme honey bubbles oil, fresh vegetables, seafood, ternational ingredients in your
and raki-drenched crumb. fish... I should note that season- cooking?
ality defines the menu at Zeen, Because we focus on local
After working for acclaimed so it’s not easy to be more spe- and seasonal to deliver the best
establishments in Spain and cific in terms of the literal main dishes possible, I try not to mix
the UK, Execu tive Chef Diony- ingredients of our success! different cooking traditions with
sis Pliatsikas arrived in Chania Cretan and Mediterranean cui-
to lead a talented team. Today, Have you gotten in touch with sine, with the exception of our
he speaks to Domes Magazine your suppliers? What are your special events. However, our lo-
about his inspiration, what favorite ingredients to use? cal producers themselves often
makes Cretan cuisine stand Our local suppliers are indis- experiment with new produce to
out, and the Zeen approach pensable for us and our dishes. cultivate in Crete, so we support
to gastronomy – all building They are our lifeline, our con- their efforts by using their new
blocks of the acclaimed ex- nection to the Cretan soil and Top: products in our dishes.
Dionysis
perience at this Domes Noruz its products. At Zeen, we make Pliatsikas is at What dish would you recom-
the helm of the
sure we only work with certified
Chania food and drink hotspot.
" restaurant. mend from the menu at Zeen?
kitchen at Zeen
This is a difficult question with
Below: Cooked
many possible answers, but I’ll
to order and
Zeen restaurant’s entire philosophy
perfectly
give you just one: I’d recom-
is based on what the island has taught us
Dionysis' dishes
will take your
about flavor, ingredients and cooking." balanced, mend the White Grouper Giou-
vetsi with wild fennel.
breath away.
D
M

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