Fantasizing about a getaway in Greece? Be inspired by the appetite-arousing Athenian pleasures of culinary expert Diane Kochilas, whose book, Athens: Food. Stories. Love., will be published October 28 by St. Martin’s Griffin, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group. Kochilas is a celebrity chef, award-winning cookbook whiz, prolific New York Times best-selling author, host/co-executive producer of My Greek Table (a 13-episode cooking-travel series about Greece and Greek cuisine airing nationally on PBS) and owner of the Glorious Greek Cooking School on the Blue Zone island Ikaria, where she lives. Her enthusiastic narratives elevate the cookbook genre to much more than a collection of recipes and her intricate destination insights also appeal to travelers. Trending: Top chefs are spreading their wings as travel navigators, pointing toward fave finds: where to go, what to see and, of course, how to passionately eat. Kochilas is at the forefront of a movement to bring healthy Greek cuisine to a wider international audience. This latest project is her love letter to Athens.
Diane Kochilas
© Yulia Koval
Let Yourself Be Seduced By Athens
“Athens dances to its own vibe, and a fun, seductive, delicious vibe it is,” writes Kochilas. “The Greek capital is one of the most vibrant cities in Europe, with a food scene that is as multilayered and fascinating as its history, a city at once ancient and modern. It’s also a city that takes some time to know, its charms not immediately apparent, especially if your visit is a superficial one, a quick brush through the center, without time to explore. I can share a deep look inside its soul, documenting not only recipes and history, but my own experiences of the city that won my New York heart, drew me close and seduced me enough to set down roots.”
This American expat, who was born in the Big Apple’s borough of Queens and has lived in Athens for 30 years, recently became a dual citizen. She delivers within this 400-page, color photo-filled ode to foodie goodness a memoir and a guidebook, which mingle with 150 spirited recipes that tell the tales of traditional Greek gastronomy (cue dishes like noua, an Athenian pot roast), as well as global influences from far-flung lands, such as an Italian twist on a Greek classic with shrimp saganaki risotto; a French-kissed hybrid between a croissant and spanakopita; plus a Grec-Mex combo featuring gigantes, a giant Greek bean darling.
Follow Kochilas Throughout Athens
Feel as though Kochilas is holding your hand, deftly leading you along bustling grand avenues and among maze-like quiet backstreets to discover the best of the best: cocktail and wine bars; sweet shops; scrumptious sandwich havens; seafood extravaganzas. Athens excels at street food. Hawked from carts: handheld savory pies; koulouri (a sesame bread ring); roasted corn and chestnuts. For carnivores, iconic souvlaki and gyro are palate-promising memory-makers. Gaze at impressive displays of pink peppercorns and other spices. Note the fig, laurel, olive and orange trees that line roads. Athens and its vicinity also boast remarkable fine-dining restaurants, such as the Michelin-starred Varoulko Seaside, its dazzling menu by chef Lefteris Lazarou, the father of modern Greek cooking, in the nearby port of Piraeus. A novel gustatory energy is abuzz.
Graviera pie with cheese and layers of phyllo pastry.
© YANNIS SIKIANAKIS
Kochilas and I chatted about the wonders of Athens.
Laura Manske: “What do you love most about living in Greece?”
Diane Kochilas: “We live outdoors for most of the year, which is pure joy! And everywhere you go, something that is a thousand or more years old kind of smacks you in the brain and makes you realize that people have walked here, touched ground, had hand to stone, for so many thousands of years. It makes our own [present-day] problems seem smaller. There is perspective, in other words. During the height of the financial crisis here [that began in 2009], I asked the new owner of a high-end souvlaki place, a new concept back then, in the Plaka [the city’s oldest neighborhood on the slopes of the Acropolis], how he had the courage to start [a business during the] difficult financial environment. His answer has stuck with me. ‘People have been walking on this patch of road for more than 2,500 years,’ he said. ‘This is just a blip and it will pass.’ Another thing I love about Athens is that the city is culturally very rich, with great museums, music, food, art and theater. And all of it is accessible, human in scale and cost. I go to the theater almost weekly. Most tickets are around 20 euro.”
Manske: “A luxury accommodation in Athens that offers an extraordinary stay?”
Kochilas: “The Grande Bretagne Hotel. It’s on the best corner in the whole city. Gorgeous, old and stately. It has a rooftop restaurant that is a rare thing: a great view and great food. And its spa is a treat.”
Manske: “Special moments in the neighborhood where you live?”
Kochilas: “I live downtown, so I am around antiquities all the time. I am in awe every time I walk up Dionysiou Areopagitou and Apostolou Pavlou streets, where [famous] philosophers once roamed and Saint Paul preached. I take a nightly walk with my friend Yannis Simonides, an erudite actor and writer. He points out secret details of ancient Athens. Every day, there is something new to notice. It’s very special.”
Athenian fish salad.
© YANNIS SIKIANAKIS
Manske: “Athens’ nearest beach for the most satisfying splash?”
Kochilas: “For me, it is Zen Beach down the Attica Coast on the Athenian Riviera. It’s even better to embrace winter swimming, when the sands are not crowded and the water is still warm. Zen Beach is a dream, and one of the best things about living in Athens! Also, 10 minutes from downtown there’s Faliro, quite swimmable, a way to just cool off and calm down if you need to do so on a moment’s notice. I always have a towel and bathing suit in my car trunk.”
Manske: “A stellar and relaxed dining spot?”
Kochilas: “One of my favorite places for contemporary-traditional Greek fare is Seychelles, in the Metaxourgeio neighborhood. The food is divine, the setting is urban yet open, as it’s on a nice square. The chef creates and recreates Greek food that is both authentic and innovative.”
Lemony chicken ribs.
© YANNIS SIKIANAKIS
Manske: “Your prized street foods?”
Kochilas: “It’s ice cream—if that counts as street food! Go to Django Gelato on Veikou Street near the Acropolis Museum. I also like to wander around Agiou Panteleimonas, a working-class, multi-ethnic neighborhood a bit off center, yet walkable from downtown (there’s also a metro stop) to pick up Greco-Eastern European piroshki and Georgian flat bread.”
Greek salad crepes.
© YANNIS SIKIANAKIS
Manske: “A tasty way to wake up your day?”
Kochilas: “For brunch, Akra in the Pangrati district. Also, the healthy scrambled-egg-and-tomato-filled hand-held pie at Harry’s Kitchen on Lekka Street. Sit on the bench, grab a coffee and watch the world go by.”
Manske: “An Athens cultural treat not to miss?”
Kochilas: “The outdoor cinemas between May and October.” [For more info about and schedules for this open-air film event, check out This Is Athens.]
Chickpea and mushroom tigania.
© YANNIS SIKIANAKIS
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Interested in destinations beyond Athens? For other recent travel articles by Laura Manske, please see Fun Interview: Tony Shalhoub’s Travel Show ‘Breaking Bread’ Uplifts You and Fun Interview With Actor Eugene Levy: His Best Travel Bucket List.
