Summer Wine Memories
Summer Vacation Wine List is a visual storytelling project for Oinochoos Magazine of Kathimerini News that blends the flavors of fine wine with the essence of summer and the poetry of memories. Picture a serene Greek island, where sun-drenched days stretch lazily into golden evenings.
At the heart of this narrative is a vibrant, free-spirited woman in her early 30s, savoring the simplicity of a summer escape. Her love for wine is more than a taste—it’s a connection to the moments that shape her journey. A chilled white wine mirrors the crisp morning light as she strolls barefoot along the shoreline. A bold red accompanies the laughter of an intimate sunset gathering. Each sip becomes a chapter, every title a memory, blending emotions and flavors into a sensory tapestry of sun, sea, and time well spent.
This project invites the viewer into her story, where wine is not just a drink but a companion to life’s most cherished experiences—an aromatic bridge between taste and memory, weaving summer’s essence into moments that linger long after the season fades.
From the magazine’s intro
“What does it take to create the ultimate wine list for the summer? A team consisting of sommeliers, master sommeliers, oenologists and journalists, taste and recommend a mix of 50 Greek producers. High quality wines from different varieties, winemaking styles. Wines with unique characteristics. We wrote short stories about them for the summer”.
Special Thanks to all the contributors
Chief editor Nena Dimitriou
Set Design & styling Rosa Karac
Girl Eirini Galani
Assist Antonis Kavouris
Production & Location Nasia Diamantidis
And all the friends and family members from Aegina Island that opened their homes and hearts to us. Athina Pikioni & Aris Sorris, Anthe Loizos, Kaiti Giannouli, Panagiotis Marinis.
Greek shipping Gastronomy For Gastronomos Magazine Cover
A cover of an tribute to the hidden heart of Greek shipping: its gastronomy for Gastronomos Magazine of Kathimerini News.
An entire tribute to the hidden heart of Greek shipping: its gastronomy. Through the eyes and stories of veteran and active ship cooks, we glimpse the joy, resilience, and camaraderie forged in the ship's kitchens. These cooks, from the legendary ocean liners to the ocean-going 'trucks' of Greek shipping, reveal how the well-being of every crew member starts from the stomach. Photographed at the historic Liberty floating museum, this homage connects us to the most legendary vessel of Greece’s post-war commercial fleet and to the generations whose strength lay in each meal shared at sea.
Story inspired by the chief editor Angelos Rentoulas
Text By Vivi Konstantinidou
Assist Antonis Kavouris
Stainless Steel Griddle Production for Gastronomos
Behind the Scenes: Capturing the Craftsmanship of Greek Steel Cooking Utensils for Gastronomos Magazine
I recently had the privilege of collaborating with Gastronomos magazine to document the intricate process behind creating one of the most essential tools in traditional Greek cooking—the Stainless Steel Griddle. This classic piece of cookware holds a special place in Greek gastronomy, and my goal was to capture the artistry and craftsmanship that go into its making in Athens.
The photoshoot spanned three historic machinery workshops in Athens, each with its own unique expertise. At Machinery Workshop Pascalidis, I observed master artisans shaping the raw materials with precision and care. Over at Machinery Workshop Kotzamanoglou, the focus shifted to the delicate balance between traditional methods and modern machinery, where every piece is crafted to perfection. Finally, at Machinery Workshop Sfiga, the final touches were added, showcasing the skill and attention to detail that make these steel utensils stand out.
The experience provided a fascinating glimpse into the world of Greek steel cooking utensils, revealing the dedication and craftsmanship behind these everyday kitchen tools. A big thank you to Gastronomos Magazine for the opportunity to be part of this unique project.
"What is the history of the stainless steel griddle and what is its role in Greek life? What pan do we choose for our roasts? copper, ceramic, aluminum, enamel or cast iron? Where will we cook our old copper utensils and where will we order new ones? What is tin and why is it the ideal pie stainless steel griddle? In the September issue, Gastronomos examines the subject of "Tapsi" from all sides, customary, cultural and culinary, and collects 60 incredible recipes for the best baked family and holiday meals.
Each place and its stainless steel griddle
We have collected the best recipes of the stainless steel griddle, from every corner of Greece, from the Caspian lamb of Lemnos and the continental chicken with rice, to the exuberant pasha macarouna, the kleftiko of Roumeli and the Kalamatian pork poula.
Filled, turlou or juvetsi?
Do we bake juveccia with couscous, noodles, macaroni or with classic barley? We learn what juvetsi is, why they call it that and what is its ideal vessel. We stuff peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, flowers and onions and present the most beautiful stuffings of Greek cuisine.
We travel back in time to find out where he got his hat from, what his name means and we recommend incredible turlous with fish, pulses, octopus.
The nicest Sundays need a roasting stainless steel griddle.
Is it Sunday dinner without chicken in the oven with potatoes? Without a honeyed moussaka, pastiche or without a leg of lamb with seared skin? If you think about it, our best Sunday meals are baked in the oven!
Pan Sweets: Dips in Syrup
Doughs and syrupy sheets, honeyed sweet pies and milky desserts, all in the pan and all delicious and aromatic.
And as always: Recipe of the Month – We return refreshed and rested and set the daily table with the best and freshest September products.
The September "Gastronomos" is released on Sunday, September 8, with "Kathimerini".
Athens’ Grande Bretagne & King George FNL Awards
In the portrait photography campaign for the Athenian hotels Grande Bretagne & King George photographs presents the awarded crew of the hotels that received four distinctions at this year’s FNL Best Restaurant Awards, recognizing their unique culinary offerings.
The FNL Best Restaurant Awards, now in its 6th edition in 2023, are determined by a committee consisting of FNL experts and distinguished gastronomy critics.
This annual gastronomy event is organized by FNL Guide, also known as The Food & Leisure Guide.
In the pictures with the Acropolis on the background, except the group portrait photo, also is included the awarded Asterios Koustoudis, the Executive Chef of Hotels Grande Bretagne & King George, was presented with the coveted Chef of the Year accolade. This award acknowledges his exceptional talent and significant contribution to Greece’s culinary scene.
Furthermore, Michalis Ladas, the maître of Tudor Hall restaurant, was honored as the Restaurant Manager of the Year. This special award recognizes Ladas for his remarkable contribution to Athens’ catering history and his illustrious 35-year career in renowned establishments.
Additionally, GB Roof Garden Restaurant and Tudor Hall Restaurant garnered FNL stars for their culinary excellence.
Under the guidance of Chef de Cuisine Nikos Liokas, GB Roof Garden Restaurant received one star for its exceptional Modern International Cuisine.
Meanwhile, Tudor Hall Restaurant, led by Chef de Cuisine Nikos Leivadias, maintained its prestigious two stars in the International Fine Dining caAtegory for yet another year.
These honors exemplify the hotels’ dedication to promoting Greek gastronomy to a diverse, international audience and solidify their position as leaders in the catering sector.
Hotel Grande Bretagne & King George are owned by Lampsa Hellenic Hotels S.A, a subsidiary company of the Laskaridis Group.
They are managed by Marriott International, Inc., a global hospitality company headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Marriott operates and franchises hotels worldwide, offering the highly acclaimed travel program, Marriott Bonvoy™, boasting 141 million members globally.
Dimitris Papadimitriou
With the title "Cooking is inner prayer", Gastronomos magazine, host the interview of the composer Dimitris Papadimitriou for the August issue. His portrait photography took place at his home accompanied with the great taste of his recipes and an interesting conversation about his music experiences.
Music for cinema, theater and television, symphonic works, pioneering actions and vision. The composer Dimitris Papadimitriou It is still thirsty, after forty years of creation, and quenches the thirst of its recipients. With its prestige and consistent attitude, it brings together artists and people with similar concerns, at the same time giving a step to younger people to show their talents. He is steeped in our popular wealth, he owns its secrets and peculiarities, he knows deeply the ways and places of his libation. His folk songs have his "academic" aura, but they are not ossified, that is why they were sung, loved, they were even danced by the crowd, and most importantly, they stayed!
Quiet strength. It has a "plan", earthly, but also transcendental at the same time. Global, cosmopolitan, that is to say "Greek". He becomes a heretic to forge new paths, he becomes a "wrecker" to flatten swampy stereotypes and build new bridges. He loves cooking and has even received professional offers for his performance. So, my invitation for a culinary interview in a meal at his house. Dimitris Papadimitriou is a hospitable host. The space is similar to his work, flooded with unique art objects, some of which have family roots.
Text by Kostas Balachoutis
Dimitris Papadimitriou has written symphonic works, pieces for solo instruments and combinations of instruments, music for theater and for Greek cinema (Electric Angel, Revenge, Archangel of Passion, The Tree We Hurt, Victory of Samothrace, Lovers in the Time Machine, The Life One and a Half Thousand, The Light Going Out etc.), for Greek television and for television series in Sweden, France, Germany and elsewhere. The general public discovered him because of television.
Known from the beginning of the 1980s until today for his fine compositions, several of which dressed up well-known television hits (such as Anastasia by Giorgos Kordellas in a script by Mirela Papaikonomou, Don't Be Afraid of Fire, Due to Honor, Life which I did not live, Leni and the Witches of Smyrna), Dimitris Papadimitriou has also collaborated with Eleftheria Arvanitaki in a cycle of songs with the general title Songs for the Months, where he set well-known Greek poets to music.
In 2003 he took over as director of the Third Program and in September 2010 general director of Hellenic Radio[5]. Busy but versatile, after his long-term presence in the administration of ERT radio, he founded the Greek Project, a non-profit organization for the promotion of Greek and not only music[6]. In 2006 he gave a concert in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations Organization on the occasion of the organization's 60th birthday. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1958.
Stavros Xarchakos concerts 2023
Portrait photography for the greek composer and conductor Stavros Xarchakos. The portrait will accompany the composer's concerts campaign for the summer 2023 in many different places of Greece.
Stavros Xarchakos will share with the audience of Herodium, his musical journeys, accompanied by Maria Farandouri, Yiannis Kotsiras and Iro Saia. One of the leaders of Greek music, inextricably linked to the expression of greek collective adventure from the 1960s until today, Stavros Xarchakos enlists the power of songs, which, as he writes, "show us the way, are allies in fight for a better life and banish fear. Love is revolution, and the eternal Holy Grail for man is Freedom!'
"Songs are allies for a better life, they show us the way and dispel fear. Love is revolution, and the eternal Holy Grail for man is Freedom!" , says the leading composer who has accompanied generations of Greeks with his music from the 60s until today.
Orchestra conducted by Stavros Xarchakos
Performed by Maria Farandouri, Yiannis Kotsiras, Iro Saia.
Athens Epidaurus Festival
Yiannis Moralis
Throwback on my archive and published works, Greek Painter Yiannis Moralis Portrait was a highlight on my portrait photography career.
Dimitris Piatas
Greek Actor Dimitris Piatas Studio headshot Portrait by Portrait photographer Athens