Photo Credits: Suzanne Ostlender

On Rhodes and all the Dodecanese islands, culture and cuisine are inseparable. You can experience the connection everywhere. The boldness and artistry of the colours and designs we give our homes, the vivacity of our people and the customs that have evolved through the mingling of many races, the splendor and serenity of our nature and the enchanting mysteries from our past; all of this is present in every bite you take of every dish lovingly prepared by local people from local ingredients.

To honour and celebrate this special bond between our food, people, places and nature, on 20th and again on 21st September Rodos Park is bringing together self-titled ‘Nomad Chef’ and multi-media celebrity, Andreas Lagos, and our own Executive Head Chef, Konstantinos Vasileiou. You are cordially invited to two evenings at our Il Parco Restaurant which the two chefs have devoted to the gastronomy of the region. Side by side they make the perfect team to guide you through the tastes and textures of the islands’ most creative and delicious dishes and the heritage behind them. As our guest on either night, you will enjoy a set menu of home-produced delights to excite both your palate and your imagination; a meal that truly captures the alchemy of your destination.

When it comes to the epicurean arts, you couldn’t really be in better hands than this dazzling duo. Andreas grew up on the island of Samos, where his beloved hobby of growing his own vegetables amply illustrates the roots of his illustrious future. Nowadays, the star of Greek TV show, “Pop Cooking”, has his finger in many proverbial pies, advising restaurants, hotels and delicatessens and dreaming up ever more daring and delicious recipes for publications both online and in print.

From Samos, a brief hop across the Aegean takes us to Evia, the birthplace of Konstantinos. Like Andreas, his was another inspirational upbringing ensconced in the beautiful and bountiful nature of one of Greece’s largest islands. Until now he has enjoyed a prolific career decorated with multiple national and international awards and certifications, among which is his proudest achievement of a medal in the 2008 IKA/ Culinary Olympics, the oldest, largest and most diverse international culinary arts competition in the world.

What can you expect? The Dodecanese represent a dream of abundance for any chef, overflowing with simple natural products and flavours, inexhaustible ingenuity and clever twists on culinary practices handed down through time from generation to generation and across the water from island to island. Close your eyes and imagine all the produce, recipes, know-how and influences at the disposal of Andreas and Konstantinos and the wonders they can, and will, work with them: A plentitude of sea goodies, among which are sardines, bonitos, anchovies, shrimps, octopus, lobster, sea squirt, squid, razor fish, is a testament to vibrant fishing communities. An array of homemade pasta and noodles recipes using fresh eggs, wheat and potatoes reveals a proud agrarian legacy along with a strong Italian influence. And who else but our cousins in Italy could account for the extra special love affair between pasta and pulses and the fact that you can find Greece’s answer to lasagna here too? An enthusiasm for spices such as cumin and saffron which you don’t find in the rest of Greece display the considerable impact of the East on daily living. You can even find guava on one of the islands originally brought from Egypt. Sublime cheeses of all descriptions are often made with pre-refrigeration techniques and the use of wood-fired ovens to cook lamb, goat, rabbit and pork in so many different ways continues to stoke the embers of tradition. The islands’ flora offers up rosemary, thyme, mint, parsley, oregano, capers, olive oil, fibre-rich cereals, sweet potatoes, green beans, samphire, purslane, amaranthus, rice and chickpeas, the key ingredient in the famed fritters of Rhodes. After basking for hours in the Mediterranean sun, tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, onions and aubergines come to you in strikingly radiant colours to match their taste. As for those with a sweet tooth, you’ll discover desserts abound with honey, sesame, citrus fruit, cream, cinnamon and rosewater, providing added zest to joyful family occasions.

All resistance is futile! We know that we’ve whetted your appetite just enough without giving away too many secrets for your September nights in Il Parco. We know that you and your taste buds will find it difficult to stand the wait till our sun-filled autumn for the big reveal of what our two magicians of the kitchen conjure from all these ingredients. We also know that whatever it is they come up with will attune all your senses to our magnificent, diverse crossroads of cultures; a both figurative and literal melting pot of evolving ideas and resourcefulness.

Visit Rodos Park on September

We urge you not to miss at least one of these unique opportunities to get a true taste of Rhodes and all its Dodecanesian neighbours. Book a table now for 20th or 21st September at Il Parco, Rodos Park, for a dining experience courtesy of Andreas Lagos and Konstantinos Vasileiou and the spirit of the Dodecanese.

Call us and book your table now – tel:+302241089700