Crete Dreams

“When I was about 17, the only thing I wanted to do was leave the island. I felt that I had experienced every bit of it I could possibly want, that it had no more to give. I had grown up in a working family where everyone had to contribute. My father is a fisherman and my mother ran the family restaurant by the water. Us kids were always on the go; we helped dad with his preparations for a night at sea, helped mum with the cooking and the daytime restaurant chores like hanging octopus on our washing line, and then off we were – to the restaurant. Once there, we would peel potatoes, gut fish, serve tables – we did it all.

That time was truly unforgettable. Even though everyone in the family helped, we were also free-spirited children, running around all day, surrounded by water, heat, real people, and amazing food.

But when I was old enough to make decisions for myself, I did go. I searched elsewhere for the adventures I longed for. I went to England and studied and worked, then left again to travel and expose myself to more unknowns.

Then I came back, knowing that what I really wanted to do was cook. It was my passion after all. Cooking,