Page 101 - NUMO INSPIRATION MAGAZINE 2023

E N J OY

SAVOURING

CRETAN

SUMMER

From wild greens to sophisticated
gastronomic creations, Michelin

Starred Chef Pavlos Kiriakis is infusing
Building on Crete’s excellent
his vision and passion into a tantalising fresh produce and fantastic
ingredients, Michelin Starred
new menu that speaks to the Crete’s Chef Pavlos Kiriakis creates
dishes that combine traditional
rich culinary heritage and highlights local knowhow and modern
gastronomic finesse.
Cretamos as a front-runner in
contemporary Cretan cuisine.

Interview Vivian Vourtsa

Joining the Numo fam- and techniques. Working with ingredients and dishes that are
ily in 2023, Pavlos Kiriakis has redacted already outstanding in their own right requires great care, be-
the new menu of Cretamos, the Royal cause it’s a fine line between elevating something and ruining
Senses Resort ans Spa's gourmet res- it completely.
taurant.. He brings to the table 18 years How are you infusing your own culinary background into the new
of experience—from Athens to Crete via menu?
San Francisco, Bilbao, Pollenzo, Megève, Beyond flavours and techniques, my aim is to enhance the en-
Mykonos and Santorini—including spells tire dining experience that guests enjoy at Cretamos, from first
at six Michelin-starred restaurants. With impressions and welcome drinks to the mignardises we serve at
his gastronomic insight, Kiriakis builds on the end of the meal.
Cretamos’s legacy and continues to en- Cretamos is named after the local name for crithmum, also known as
hance guests’ culinary experience, with a rock samphire or sea fennel. What does this ingredient mean to you can literally just pluck from nature, such meal or dessert but also the wine that is used as an ingredient
new menu that celebrates the flavours of and what other Cretan ingredients do you often use? as spiny chicory, to ingredients perfected in so many recipes. It’s often the case that as an area’s wine
Cretan summer. I am actually very fond of cretamo, or crithmum, and it’s an over generations, such as Crete’s ex- making and wine culture become more refined, so do the area’s
What is most challenging when it comes ingredient I use often. I choose my ingredients based on their traordinary artisanal cheeses. culinary offerings. The two complement each other. They're two
to combining local culinary heritage with seasonality and on how well they can be paired well with spe- How does the island’s wine culture affect lo- sides of the same coin.
modern gastronomy? cific dishes. For example, one of the dishes on the new menu cal gastronomy? Is a restaurant’s location important to guests’ dining experience?
The biggest challenge is striking the per- is a soup made of farm-fresh Cretan grape tomatoes that is Undoubtedly, wine is a big part of gas- There are many different factors that shape a guest’s overall
fect balance between traditional Cretan served with ice cream we make ourselves from Xinomyzithra tronomy whether we’re talking about experience, and location is absolutely one of them. When a
cuisine and contemporary gastronomy Kritis, a local, PDO cheese. fine dining or traditional fare. In both restaurant’s location is truly breathtaking, as is the case with
techniques. Crete has a rich culinary tra- What do you find most inspiring in Crete’s culinary heritage? cases, the food is elevated by the wine— Cretamos, then it’s fair to say that it really shapes the dining
dition and a wealth of local ingredients The ingredients. From fantastic produce and herbs that you not just the wine that you pair with your experience. •

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