Chef George Papaparaskevas presents his culinary time travel

Chef George Papaparaskevas speaks about gastronomy in our days and introduces his Multicultural B.B.Q. concept in Princess Adriana Resort & Spa. Tastes & smells from a way of cooking which evidence of it, has been found in archeological digs and frescoes from the Minoan times (1200BC)

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Chef George Papaparaskevas © photo Facenet PRO


By Vassilios Canellos

What is your opinion about the Culinary Art the last 25 years?

Following the development of the Gastronomy the last years, we will observe a variety of sparkles in the trends and differentiations of the global gastronomic culture.

We will see that everything started in France with the famous teacher, Auguste Escoffier, who first gathered, recorded and put in order the recipes, the procedures and first the standards in professional kitchens over 120 years ago.

Since then, his recipes have been reproduced, improved, differentiated and constantly transformed into something new. Something different, but always on the same basis: The edible goods of every culture.

What is good food for you?

The evolution of technology and the mass media outbreak, of the recent years, have exposed the gastronomic art to common view and the public criticism. The Gastronomy, introduced its terminology to the average amateur food lover, and through cooking-contests and T.V. games, created an abyss of recipes , techniques, and trends that surely complicated a possible answer to a very simple question:

What is good food at last?
The answer in my opinion is one. But every single person might have a different opinion on this matter.

Good food is local quality ingredients from the near area, according to the season of the year, cooked in a way to stimulate memories and emotions from the culture that each one of us hides deep inside the subconscious. Personally, I enjoy the taste and texture of a Yellow fin tuna steak medium rare, but deep in me the pleasure of pulling out the crispy skin of the lamb on the spit,  is incomparable because it wakes up memories and feelings that travel me back in my childhood.

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"Personally, I enjoy the taste and texture of a Yellow fin tuna steak medium rare"

Deep in me the pleasure of pulling out the crispy skin of the lamb on the spit, is incomparable because I recall memories from my childhood

Traditional or Contemporary kitchen is the concept of this new outlet?


As we see... eventually... all Chefs return to simple traditional recipes with pure, simple daily materials.
Having this in mind and ofcourse, having the full support of the hotel owner and engineers, we designed and constructed,  in Princess Andriana  Resort & Spa, a unique culinary concept that combines Ancient cooking techniques with authentic recipes in a stone-built area and modern technological equipment.

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Princess Andriana B.B.Q area

What are the exceptional things that someone can find there?

⦿ A unique traditional wood oven, where except fresh bread, we prepare the traditional Rhodian Lacan. (Calf or Lamb with churn, simmering in a clay pot.)
⦿ An area equipped with rack of 18 spits for lamb, where the meat is torn in the traditional way of Crete, smoked and baked for 4-5 hours on fire from olive wood , just like 3000 years ago


⦿ A series of 10 Brazilian style spits, where we cook all sorts of meat and fish on the coals, as well as a large spit for whole lambs or piglets.
⦿ A traditional Indian built Tandoor oven, where we bake authentic chicken and lamb tandoori, as well as Naan pies, in the traditional Indian way.


⦿ A ground grill area, where traditional recipes are simmering in cast iron utensils, covered with hot ash. Kleftiko Lamb, spinach spinach, aubergine with aubergines, Macedonian pork with plums, spitfire with pine nuts, rooster with trachana soup etc
⦿ And finally a professional grill that grills a la minute marinated meat, lamb ribs, rib-eye, t-bone stakes, burgers, shrimps, salmon, swordfish and more.


Which was the reaction of your guests?

First of all, the guests visited us by curiosity. When they learn about the history of each grilling method, they show interest and they become a part of it. They taste each food creating a picture in their minds. For example, when we serve them lamb pieces from the "antikrysto" grill we explain them that it is one of the oldest ways of cooking meat, since there is no need for utensils, grills and other cooking tools. Usually, men who prepared it in such a way were those, who had to stay away from home for a long time – e.g. warriors or travellers – and who could not afford to carry with them household items. People love to know how people used to cook 2.500 or 3.000 thousand years before.

Will you expand this project?

Our plans for the next season are the addition of 2 large stone-built aquarium tanks with sea water, where live lobsters and shells, will be caught and prepared in front of the customer. Steamed oysters, seafood saganaki flambe' with ouzo, grilled lobster, as well as lobster pasta in the furnace will be some new additions.

Princess Andriana Resort & Spa ★★★★★
Kiotari, Kiotari, 85109, Greece
Tel: +30 22440 39000
Fax: +030 22440 39001
Email: info@princessandriana.com
Princess Andriana Resort & Spa is the most advanced Five-Star All-inclusive Resort on Rhodes Island.
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