Resting amongst serene, azure turquoise shores amid utter tranquillity and a flourishing Grecian vista, the resplendent family-owned Mar-Bella Collection serves as a paradisal assemblage with three idyllic resort retreats of MarBella, Elix and Nido within Greece’s flawless unspoilt milieu of Corfu and Parga, as glitterati realms and silk-stocking family cliques seek to luxuriate within their pastel-hued vacationing abodes, while they bask under the sun-kissed rays and succumb to the majestic, jewel-hued rippling enchantress of the Ionian Sea.
Since the most recent of years, the Mar-Bella collection has taken the utmost of pride in satiating those yearning appetites of their pedigreed clientele by hosting Greek Chefs Abroad; a series of local princely tasting banquets interweaved with an ambrosial plethora of tastes, smells and aromas hand-plucked from all around the sphere’s most gastronomical destinations, as they join formidable forces with some of Greece’s most dandy top-drawer chefs all of whom have proven victorious in radiating their culinary sorcery across the globe.
With the Greek Chefs Abroad I and Greek Chef Abroad II segments having proved a toothsome triumph, the Mar-Bella collection has been euphoric with their coequally monumental mastery of the Summer ‘23’s epicurean chapter, Greek Chefs Abroad III – A Taste of Five Continents.
Spanning across the haute-monde cities of London, Miami, Singapore, Melbourne and Dubai all highly heralded for their bon-vivant feasting affairs, the Mar-Bella team had successfully garnered five symmetrically gifted, native-born guest chefs residing around the orb for the third decadent cooking instalment.
As the Elysian Hellenic hideaways witnesses the dawning and draws up its ruby velvet curtains for the Chef’s Summer Season, we take immense pleasure in introducing the gastronomy maestros all of whom invited their discerning diners onboard an immersive gourmet odyssey, marrying a medley of home-grown menus fused with wholesome intercontinental influences, and exotic fragrant flavours jetted over from their adopted offshore habitats.
Nick Molyviatis
Nick Molyviatis has steadily earned a reputation for waving his spell of sybaritic magic to some of London’s most happening chic eatery spots, from the quirky Shoreditch habitat of the Smoking Goat drawing inspiration from Bangkok’s twilight canteen scene to the award-winning open kitchen haven of Kiln in trendy Soho which saw food intellects indulge in Charcoal-grilled aged lamb skewers and slow cooked beef short rib curry.
On the 1st of July, guests and evening visitors were treated to Nick’s sapid Greek display with a riveting Thai spiced influence while overlooking the unspoilt settings of Karavostasi beach at Elix. His evident passion for the very best produce arrays has repeatedly shone through with authentic bona fide Greek flavours and cooking practices, alongside close mentorship from the top Asian chefs to unify the unique flavour profiles of Thai, Japanese and Chinese cuisine into his Greek interpretations.
Alexandros Sperxos
Growing up in Kalavryta by Greece’s lush southern mainland scenery, Alexandros Sperxos had spent his childhood surrounded by vibrant farmlands abundant with rich vegetation, where he had learnt to cherish the value of quality, locally sourced ingredients since his early ages which no sooner reflected in his Summer Greek and Mediterranean menus laced with a Middle Eastern fusion verve. His culinary journey has taken him to renowned restaurants across Greece and beyond the seas, where in 2015 he moved to the unabashed, UAE emirate of Dubai.
It was within this luminous Lucullan metropolis that Alexandria accomplished his ambition of a restaurant that introduced a harmonious mingle of Greek and Mediterranean flavours to the Middle Eastern palate, with the casual yet stylish launch of his multi-experience experience of Warehouse renowned for its specialities of the filo pastry Brie enveloped in fruit bursts of tangy pomegranate and sweet orange jam and flaky sea bass enriched in salted deep bodied salsa of olives and capers. Showcasing his sensory dining talent at Nido from Dubai, the menu highlights included the melt-in-the-mouth lamb shank enriched in sweet aromatic tomatoes and creamy graviera cheese foam, and earthy beetroot swirled with a tart touch of goat cheese.
Vadym Kunitskyy
Vadym Kunitskyy has been on an inspiring culinary journey that has taken him across the world. And you can look forward to seeing his Asian influences brought to life in his menu for Greek Chefs Abroad. Born in Ukraine, he was raised in Athens from an early age before going to culinary school in the Greek capital. He then honed his cooking skills in Athens and the Greek Islands and in some of Europe’s best-known restaurants including Alchemist Copenhagen and Martin Berasategui San Sebastián.
Today he is head chef at Alati in Singapore, one of the island state’s most acclaimed restaurants. Introducing guests to the interplay of Greek and Asian traditions, his menu displayed a palatable fare of finely diced chicken dim sums unveiling dainty yet powerful citrus notes of Chinese parsley, and meaty butter-like shrimp helpings alongside a rich serving of taramosalata.
Christos Bisiotis
One of the biggest names on the Miami culinary scene, Christos Bisiotis brings a wealth of experience with him to Nido this summer. During his takeover, the multi-talented chef will showcase his love of Greek, Italian and Israeli cuisine that has made him the chef he is today. Born and raised in Athens, by the age of 12 Christos was working in his parents’ bakery. Since then, he’s been on an amazing journey with highlights that include being nominated for a Michelin Star at ‘The Greek’ NYC, launching Avra Beverly Hills and Milos Hudson Yards and being the first Greek chef to cook at the White House during the Obama administration.
Chris’s inspiration for his menu was driven by the purity of the Mediterranean, where tender lamb chops effortlessly sliced arrived paired with a simple serving of golden crisp roast potatoes, while generous hearty slices of tuna tartare sprung to life with a wooded dollop of black truffled silken yoghurt and velvety black caviar.
Alex Xinis
Leading the finale of the culinary tales for the season, Alex Xinis will be illustrating his ardent vigour for Greek and Australian alliances at Elix in September. His exciting cooking fuses influences from both countries while reflecting his own contemporary style. The Brisbane-born chef’s impressive career has taken him far including stints at two-star Michelin restaurant Funky Gourmet in Athens and the much talked about Esti pop-up in London’s Shoreditch.
Embracing the traditions of his heritage, Xinis currently oversees the cooking at Fable in Melbourne where he incorporates his fine dining background into a modern Greek-inspired menu. Diners should expect classic favourites of fresh battered fish plucked fresh from the balmy local shores, and delicate ravioli pasta abundant with mildly chopped rooster meat uncovering a light nutty aroma.
To Conclude
As ambassador champions of Greece’s priceless culinary heritage, it is unequivocal to state that the participating chefs of Summer 23 have paid heartfelt gratitude to their homeland’s gastronomic roots, by elevating age-old traditional recipes that embody an avant-garde twist, endorsed by their deluxe overseas habitation.
Although the Chefs series comes to a mouthwatering conclusion this September, the lavish Mar-Bella collection continues to eagerly await and welcome their debonair visitants until October 31st, to embrace the late Midsummer spell cocooned in a shelter of picturesque backdrops, unparalleled grandeur and hedonistic delicacies.
