George Diakomichalis, South Australia’s favorite pastry chef from the multi-awarded cafe-bakery Kalymnos Pastries has hit nationwide TV screens along with his cooking sequence ‘It’s All Greek to Me’.
Diakomichalis’ present first began on YouTube and was picked up by the Australian broadcaster 9 and premiered final month.
The primary episode options Diakomichalis’ lifelong good friend Niko and his mum Georgia Mavragelos.
Talking to Neos Kosmos the chef teased that there will likely be many conventional Greek recipes showcased in addition to episodes bringing collectively completely different cultures sharing Australian soil.
“You’ll be amused; you’ll snigger, and it’s possible you’ll cry. You’re going to be taught a few mouth-watering recipes that it’s essential make at dwelling!” Diakomichalis mentioned.
It’s Greek to Me is one thing that was began a few years in the past. By way of doing it I acquired uncovered to organising and executing completely different cooking segments. I acquired requested to do completely different cooking issues and bits and items on completely different exhibits each right here within the state in South Australia and likewise nationally and I acquired a style of with the ability to share what I like which is, for me, an absolute honour.”
THE STORIES THAT NEED TO BE TOLD
Additional on, George introduces his mother and father Nick and Poppy, who left Greece to construct a life in Australia almost fifty years in the past. They inform their story of their life, elevating George and his siblings, their traditions and prepare dinner some conventional Greek dishes to share with household and pals.
In one other episode he groups up with actor/comic George Kapiniaris, from Acropolis Now fame, to prepare dinner up a Greek basic – with an Aussie twist! Mixing each meals and tradition, George shares tales of Greeks migrating to Australia – all infused with heart-warming tales and cooking knowledge from George’s Kapiniaris’ personal mom.
For the person behind SA’s most beloved pastry store, with the ability to share the flavours and the values that make Greeks but additionally any ethnic group pleased with their heritage is valuable.
“I like sharing what traditions the generations behind us have given us; to honour our ancestors, our mother and father, our grandparents. A few of them are nonetheless round however many have handed,” he tells Neos Kosmos. “I like connecting with different cultures by means of meals and sharing and exchanging heart-felt dishes. Speaking with a ritual so important to all of us but additionally deeply sacred.”
For Diakomichalis, preserving cultural id by means of the culinary arts is paramount for retaining the reference to present and future generations. By way of recipes that have been handed down and recipes that have been created as a mixture of a “tastes from the motherland” assembly the “new homeland”, Australia can even honour its distinctive tales of immigration.
“The subsequent technology will profit as a result of meals is without doubt one of the most rewarding types of artwork, it’s a love language. Simply as essential because the meals is, the tales a few of migration and other people’s household histories, how they’ve gotten the place they’ve gotten… The distinctive factor we now have right here in Australia is that we now have so many various cultures that come collectively and reside as proud Australians whereas retaining their id.”
The net sequence broadcasted on Channel 9 now’s an extension, a re-edition of Diakomichalis’ YouTube sequence, of episodes he filmed himself as private physique of labor.
“I’m actually completely satisfied, regardless that It’s All Greek to Me was getting publicity, that it’s airing on nationwide tv in Queensland, Perth, Perth, Darwin, Tasmania right here in South Australia.”
“It has been an fascinating course of to see how issues work for a TV manufacturing. The episodes are 21 minutes however for one episode we would movie for hours and edit issues down and rejig or mix shorted outdated YouTube episodes collectively and add sections, rewrite components to make it constant.”
WE ARE MORE SIMILAR THAN DIFFERENT
For the Kalymnos Pastries chef, It’s All Greek to Me is supposed to assist individuals perceive one thing seemingly overseas and join with it. As he spoke to Neos Kosmos he defined that utilizing the phrase really stems from a direct translation of an identical phrase in Latin: Graecum est; non potest legi (“it’s Greek, [therefore] it can’t be learn”).
A saying that turned broadly common after getting used as a metaphor in 1599, in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, as spoken by Servilius Casca to Cassius.
“That’s why we named it It’s All Greek to Me again within the day. It goes each methods nevertheless it’s rooted in sharing what seemingly differs by means of a strategy of coming collectively on this land, recognising its unique custodians and giving thanks.
“The plan is to deliver completely different cultures collectively. One episode options Daniel Motlop who’s an Indigenous, Larrakia NFL participant and we undergo his household story on the present… We do smoked barramundi in paper bark. It’s actually so good! Then, in direction of the top of it we talked about how the crossing of cultures and the way retaining traditions alive is paramount.”
This episode honours the various connections between early Greek migrants and First Nations Peoples.
Considered one of Diakomichalis’ favorite episodes options Lindani Berman, the co-director of Cirque Africa, with whom he cooked and shared recipes and tales of immigration whereas conventional African performers danced across the meals preparations as they’d for a ritual. With each visitor there are issues in frequent.
“These tales are too essential to lose, and together with the tales and the sacrifices that individuals made, all of the alternatives and the successes that we now have continued to get pleasure from is a results of the onerous work people who got here earlier than us put in.”
“The truth that It’s All Greek to Me has been recognised by the mainstream media so far as business TV is worried is definitely unimaginable.”
Recognition for Diakomichalis just isn’t a brand new factor. By way of Kalymnos Pastries which has been getting award after award for years now, he has managed to construct a reputation for himself and his household, in addition to for his homeland as a proud member of the Greek Australian and wider SA neighborhood.
“I’ve had the store right here for 28 years now, it’s very properly recognised in what we do. We’re very constant. We signify former generations of my household’s traditions. All the things is completed with love and our prospects know that, they know us, they know the candy Greek flavours by title. They know I’m a proud Kalymnos Greek however in addition they know I’m an Australian!”
Considered one of Diakomichalis’ objectives for 2023, particularly after almost three years of restrictions is to journey round Australia and participate in a Greek competition in Victoria.
“I’m very excited to each movie for It’s All Greek to Me in different states and meet with individuals who have a very good popularity or one thing to say on a nationwide stage, however my largest dream, a burning need is to come back and prepare dinner, do an illustration at a Greek competition in Melbourne. It’s the biggest Greek Neighborhood and it’s the one one I haven’t but visited as a part of a competition. You possibly can say it’s a burning need. I’m prepared to come back deliver all of the sweetness of Kalymnos to Melbourne and trade tales over meals!”
Watch It’s All Greek to Me on Channel 9 on-line right here: www.9now.com.au/its-all-greek-to-me