Theodore Kyriakou

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Theodore Kyriakou

A review of Theodore Kyriakou's book, *Real Greek Food*, by Matthew Norman in the *Sunday Telegraph* claimed that the author was, "a man on a mission to educate us about the wonders of his homeland", True, the one-time Livebait chef is passionate about his country's cooking. He is desperate to scotch the myth that there's nothing more to it than blancmange-pink taramosalata, kebabs and smashed crockery. What he disguises so ably is the fact that he is essentially preparing family as opposed to restaurant food. On a plate, his dishes have a rough, stylish elegance, what you might expect from an Italian chef. In the mouth, they don't taste as though they have been carefully refined for sophisticated palates. It's the kind of cooking Elizabeth David was writing about 40 years ago. Greek food made from pristine raw materials, without any concessions to fashion has its own character. It lies on the cusp of the European Mediterranean and the Middle Eastern traditions. Kyriakou handles it with a commitment and precision which is rarely found, even in his country of origin.