Your restaurant specializes in Haute Greek – what do you think it will take to change peoples opinions towards Greek food?
In order to change peoples’ opinions towards Greek food this folkloristic image of Greek cuisine needs to be abandoned. The impression one gets in diners and many other restaurants that serve Greek food is that time suddenly stopped approximately fifty years ago. However, tradition is something that needs to be alive. Greece’s image needs to be powerful and contemporary, reflecting modern Greek culture. In other words, Greek cuisine needs to be inclusive and not exclusive. Greek culture is not imprisoned in a postcard, it is evolving. My technique and the ingredients I use for my dishes are not exclusively Greek, but I never lose the Greek character. I’m very interested in food that characterizes Greece and has therefore a certain symbolism. I want my dishes to evoke some memories of traditional Greek food but at the same time, I’m deconstructing these memories and I’m de-mythologizing their symbolism by playing with their initial preparation and form.

Do you think the efforts of such restaurants as Milos and Avra have made a difference?
Restaurants like Milos and Avra have definitely made a difference. Twenty years ago, the only places where you could find Greek food in the US were either in Greektown in Chicago, or in Astoria in New York. These "new" Greek restaurants have revitalized traditional Greek food in a refreshing and innovative way, and they have showed that there is a lot more to Greek cuisine.

Many of 48’s customers are Greek and they therefore can recognize – and appreciate – the fun you have with traditional Greek dishes like the ubiquitous Greek salad.

Do you think such an approach would work outside of Greece?
Actually, many of our customers at 48 are foreign, and I think this is the group that appreciates our play with traditional Greek dishes the most. Since a great majority of our foreign guests are really enthusiastic about our food, I’m quite certain that such an approach would work really well outside Greece, too. Greek customers, on the other hand, feel challenged, exactly because they recognize the play with their traditional food symbols. You deconstruct their symbols, their knowledge of what traditional Greek dishes look like, and this is a process they have to get accustomed to.

What advice would you give to chefs interested in including Greek items on their menu?
My advice is to always look for the right Greek ingredients. You have to be very careful with the cheese you select, or the olives and olive oil. For example, Feta cheese imitations produced abroad aren’t eatable. If chefs abroad are really interested in Greek cuisine, a trip to Greece would be very advisable, in order for them to experience Greek culture and understand the cuisine it produces.

What are your favorite restaurants in NYC and London and why?
I haven’t been to London in years. In New York I really liked Daniel. For me, the most important thing is the quality and preparation of food. Certainly, atmosphere and service play a role, but still, all that matters to me is the quality of the food, everything else is of secondary importance.

Would you ever return to a restaurant where you didn’t eat well? Did you ever create any Greek dishes for Mr. Trotter? If so, what did he think of them?
I remember creating melitzanosalata (eggplant spread) for Mr. Trotter seven years ago, and he liked it. More recently, three years ago, I offered Marc Meneau ice cream with mastic and he really enjoyed it. Ferran Adrià, who incidentally shares my belief that mastic is a very interesting ingredient, has also tasted our Macedonian halva ice cream here at 48, a desert he really liked, too.