Internationally acclaimed Greek chef, television personality, and New York Times bestselling author Diane Kochilas is making a stop in the heart of Astoria to discuss her latest cookbook, ATHENS: Food, Stories, Love: A Cookbook, on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
The author talk and book signing event, held at the Hellenic Cultural Center, located at 25-02 Newtown Ave., is part of her NYC cookbook tour from Oct. 19 through Oct. 25, including dates throughout venues mostly in Manhattan, making the night in Queens even more special.
“I hope to share my love for Athens with a community that most likely shares the same sentiment,’ said Kochilas. “Greek-Americans, especially Greek-New Yorkers, are fluid in their movements back and forth between the U.S. and Greece, so I hope to sprinkle their next food experience in the Greek capital with some stories and fun, and maybe inspire them to try some new things, too, since Athens’ chefs are often less tied to tradition than the Greek chefs in Astoria.”
The highly acclaimed author is also the host and co-creator of the acclaimed PBS series “My Greek Table,” now entering its fifth season. Kochilas, who is considered a leading authority on Mediterranean cuisine and lifestyle, often focuses on natural and mostly plant-based cooking rooted in tradition, sustainability, and wellness. The Jackson Heights native, who is also the founder of Delicious Greece and The Glorious Greek Kitchen, resides in Greece and offers food tours and cooking classes in Ikaria, as well as teaching online classes. She has been featured on CBS, NBC, the Food Network, and in international media. She has also been the recipient of multiple IACP awards, a Books for a Better Life Award, and recognition from the Art of Eating Prize. Her last cookbook, The Ikaria Way, also became a New York Times bestseller.
Her latest book explores Athens’ culinary scene today, where modern flavors and influences blend with Greece’s culinary traditions, drawing on over 30 years of living there. As a Queens native, the delicious smells and flavors of the borough held some of her earliest food memories, both from the diverse neighborhood around her and at home, as her father was a professional chef and always brought something new and delicious to the table.
“My cousin, who came from Greece in the late 1950s and lived with us, was like a big brother and then a second father to me,” said Kochilas. “He was the one who used to take me to the playground when I was a kid, then for pizza at a little place on Roosevelt Ave. and 90th Street. I recall being plopped on the countertop, I must have been 4 or 5 years old, and fed a classic NY slice, the strings of melted cheese all gooey; I can still taste the tomato sauce. My dad was a professional cook, and he was the orchestrator of many family meals. Our home was always filled with great smells, and his pineapple upside-down cake was a highlight- I wish he had written down the recipe.”
During her book tour for her latest work, Kochilas helps readers to embrace a blending of old and new and to be open to exploring new recipes, flavors, and takes on traditional dishes. Whether readers are new to Greek cuisine or have been enjoying it their whole lives, there’s something for everyone, with dishes from Athenian Carbonara and Beet Risotto with Beet Greens and Feta.
“Risotto has been thoroughly embraced by Greek chefs, and it’s easy to find, even on taverna menus, and beets, greens and feta are a classic combo of ingredients,” said Kochilas. “In the spirit of Athens, I created this dish to showcase the marriage of Greek traditions with other culinary traditions. We have a lot of main course rice dishes in the Greek kitchen. Greeks love all things Italian, so this dish is a good mirror of that sympatico. As for the carbonara, when my kids were little, every mother seemed to have a carbonara recipe that she made with heavy cream and Greek cheeses, and it was one of those dishes that kids ate with alacrity. So, I recreated it.”
The author talk and book signing event in Queens will offer insight into Athens, conversation, and a Q & A, whether guests want to ask for cooking advice, have questions about her writing, career, travel, and more. Her latest cookbook, ATHENS: Food, Stories, Love: A Cookbook, offers an insightful conversation into the ways tradition and how Athen’s culinary landscape explores food from past to present.
“Athens is a city that has grown into itself in the 33 years I’ve called it home,’ said Kochilas. “The younger generation of chefs, now in their 30s, who grew up on the internet, have a very different approach to “Greek” cuisine, less encumbered by tradition and less emotionally attached to it; at least that’s what I see. So I hope this cookbook sheds some light on the evolution of the cuisine. Traditions abound, for sure, but there’s a lot of new food that’s Greek, too.”
Those interested in attending the event at the Hellenic Cultural Center can purchase tickets by calling 917-635-8867. Tickets are $20 per person.
Her other New York City events include:
Monday, Oct. 20: Book Dinner at Molyvos (Midtown West)
Tuesday, Oct. 21: Author Talk & Book Signing at Hellenic Cultural Center (LIC/Astoria)
Wednesday, Oct. 22: Demo & Book Signing at Williams Sonoma Columbus Circle (UWS)
Saturday, Oct. 25: Book Signing at Union Square Greenmarket with Kitchen Arts & Letters (Union Square)
Saturday, Nov. 15: Cooking Class at Sopra @ Amali (UES)
Saturday, Nov. 15: Book Dinner at Sopra @ Amali (UES)
