The Road

Nikolaos Chomatas was born in Heraklion, Crete, where he currently lives and works professionally in the fields of education, writing, and gastronomy.

He is a graduate of the School of Tourism Professions and the School of Reserve Officers.

From the beginning of his journey, he has collaborated with significant figures in gastronomy, attending dozens of cooking seminars led by top chefs both domestically and internationally. He has worked professionally in kitchens in Greece and abroad while also undertaking gastronomic travels around the world for journalistic purposes.

With love, passion, and relentless hard work, his evolution as a chef over time appears to be something strong, while also maintaining responsibilities as a professor in professional culinary schools and in gastronomic projects.

In his literary work, he has published two books: a poetry collection titled "My Wine & My Love" and a gastronomic reflection titled "The Salt of My Life."

The Interview

Why did you decide to become a chef?
If I close my eyes, I can see moments of my life strolling in my mind like scenes from a movie. Each scene brings out an aroma, a taste which writes the ingredients just like a gastronomic diary. I was born and raised in a family where cooking was, and still is, an integral part of our history. Maybe that was the reason I chose to become a chef, beyond the primitive need for survival.

What is your favourite ingredient?
Herbs, definitely! Crete has an immense variety of herbs, and they have an important place in my heart and in my memory as I got to know many of them from my own grandmother.
She took me with her on long walks and explained each one of them to me. Hand in hand she led me on trails which turned into fairy tales. Mint, basil, rosemary...

How does your menu evolve?
Creating a menu is one of my favorite activities. I like to combine seasonal ingredients based on their geographical origin, always maintaining the integrity of its source, and 'paint' them in a porcelain canvas. My intention is to animate the ingredients and thus bring back their history which is , slowly, getting lost in time.

How do you utilize local produce?
I like to use local, fresh products both in my work and in my personal life. I highlight their magic and their flavor as a flashback from the past. Most times, I cook and present them with purity and simplicity. The way I believe God has created them.

Crete's food scene is appreciated internationally. Can you explain why you think that is? And does the creativity of chefs in Crete challenge and stimulate other chefs on the island?
Cretan Gastronomy is intertwined within the depths of time. The Minoan Civilization had culinary skills and knowledge of ingredients usage which are employed until today, from village's kitchens to high-end restaurants.
Cretan cuisine is ranked among the healthiest in the world due to its rich soil, the blessed sunlight, and the ideal climate conditions. Cooking with these ingredients is a joy as they produce astonishing results on the table.

What is the experience you hope to impart on the guests through your cooking?
The main goal is the absolute satisfaction of our guests without commitments and restrictions. We offer them the real Cretan hospitality by journeying through a gastronomic anthology of flavors, colors, and smells.

What are your favourite regions of Greece when it comes to food?
I am a big fan of Cretan Cuisine and revere it from the beginning of my career until today. I was born and raised in the Cretan Land and its philosophy and culture are deeply rooted in me. I nurture the same love and respect for the Mount Athos gastronomy which consists of pure nature and God himself making the art of cooking a daily ceremony.