Coffee Chronicles 7 | Alexandros Tsiotinis

How did you get involved in cooking?

My involvement with cooking began somewhat unconventionally. As a child, I dreamed of starting my own business. So, what I thought back then was that the easiest business I could start was a tavern or some kind of dining establishment. And what does that require? Probably knowing how to cook.

So, little by little, I started getting into cooking—preparing meals for friends, looking up recipes. We're talking about the year 2000 now, quite a while ago. Step by step, I got more involved, enrolled in a culinary school, and that initial spark was ignited. Eventually, I ended up falling more in love with cooking than with the business side of the restaurant industry—although, in the end, I did mix the two together a bit.

Tell us a few words about your restaurant—what is its philosophy, and what kind of gastronomic experiences does it offer to its visitors?

Now, as for the restaurant, first of all, I should tell you that this year marks our tenth anniversary—we're celebrating a birthday, or as I like to say, we're coming off age. For me, ten years is a significant milestone for a business.

From the very first day until today, CTC has served one purpose: to offer good food. And for me, that's a great reason to be here every day, striving to give our guests something extra. However, what truly matters to me is that every visitor feels like they are my guest.

That’s why CTC has never had an à la carte menu. Guests don’t come in knowing what they will eat—just like visiting my home, they arrive and wait to see what I have created especially for them.

Why did you choose the Kerameikos area for your restaurant?

The reason I ultimately chose Kerameikos as the location for the second phase of CTC—since CTC didn’t originally open here—is that I found this space with a magical garden reminiscent of old Athens, which I absolutely love, especially the '80s and '70s. It offers guests, particularly tourists, a different perspective on what Greek cuisine and a Greek space mean, and subsequently, on Greek cuisine itself.

What are the secrets of an accomplished chef? What qualities make someone stand out and achieve distinction in the culinary world?

I would love to share with you the secrets that make a chef stand out, but if I told you, they wouldn’t be secrets anymore—just kidding. I think the clearest truth is that, in reality, there are no secrets. What truly sets someone apart is simply working harder than the person next to them.

We can all advocate for proper working conditions, for respecting the eight-hour workday—we should, and I completely agree with all of that. But if we want to be better than the person working next to us, we have to put in just a little more effort than they do, for better or worse. Because even if you have talent, no matter how innate it may be, without hard work, it’s not enough.

Gastronomy is a significant reason for someone to visit a destination. Which part of Greece would you highlight for its cuisine, and which neighborhood in Athens for its gastronomic offerings?

Gastronomy on its own is a reason for someone to visit a country or a specific place within it. If I had to choose one region of Greece that serves as a perfect excuse to experience this cuisine, for me, it would be Crete. No matter where you go—whether in the mountains, the lowlands, or by the sea—you will find good and high-quality food. Additionally, Cretans have deeply intertwined the folklore aspect of gastronomy with the essence of taste and have invested significantly in the quality of raw ingredients from the past to the present. For me, Cretan cuisine is a model for the rest of Greece.

If we were to visit Athens and I had to single out one neighborhood, I would take a slightly unconventional approach and choose Omonia. It is a diverse and multicultural area where you can find cuisines from all over the world in their most authentic form.

What does a typical day look like for Alexandros Tsiotinis?

A typical day for me—and for any chef or restaurant owner—starts very early in the morning, for better or worse. We need to check on the restaurant’s orders, see what fresh fish, meats, and vegetables are available, and find out what the foragers—those who gather wild herbs and greens from the mountains—have discovered and brought in.

Then, at the restaurant, we handle administrative tasks like paperwork, recipes, and cost calculations. After that comes the preparation, and finally, in the evening, we open the restaurant’s doors, welcome our guests, and cook for them.

What is your favorite neighborhood in Athens and why?

I can’t say I have one specific favorite neighborhood in Athens. There are certainly many that I like, such as Petralona, Koukaki, Plaka, Monastiraki, and Patissia, where I grew up, as well as Kypseli—each for slightly different reasons. Some for their authenticity, others for their tradition or history. If I had to choose one place I love visiting both for the food and for a stroll, it would be Monastiraki and Plaka, because I adore walking and enjoying the monuments of our beautiful Athens.

Is your home a place of relaxation for you?

First of all, both my home and my restaurant feel like home to me—I consider both spaces equally familiar and welcoming. However, in my personal life, I make sure to separate the two. I definitely want my time at home to be quality time, a time for rest and relaxation. That’s why I have made sure to create a beautiful and comfortable home.

Do you cook at home at all?

I’m one of those people who fell in love with cooking by cooking for friends—that passion never goes away. So, I absolutely love finding opportunities to host dinners for my friends at home. However, to be honest, as time goes by, these gatherings happen less and less.

When you hear "Engel & Völkers," what comes to mind?

Hearing the name Engel & Völkers, the first thing that comes to mind is the means by which I can find my next home.