<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Athens-born Alexandros Tsiotinis is one of the most prominent chefs in Greece right now. He trained in France alongside some of the greats before returning to his home country, landing jobs at a string of top restaurants around Santorini and Crete. In 2015, though, Alexandros decided it was time to strike out on his own, and fulfil his lifelong dream of opening a restaurant, CTC. It quickly rose to popularity, renowned for its artfully created, vibrant dishes, and a few years later the eatery was awarded its first Michelin Star. We hear more below.
5 Minutes With… Alexandros Tsiotinis
Where do you source your ingredients for CTC?
From the very first moment, my aim at CTC has been to tell a gastronomic story to my guests that visit us. I want to walk them through the memories of Greek cuisine, offering them the chance to experience its flavours through a modern prism and a different perspective. Greek cuisine should let the ingredients take the lead, which is how we operate at CTC, with technique playing a secondary role – still very important.
In each dish, we decide which ingredient will have the starring role, while the others harmonize and support. We source our ingredients from the land and the sea of Greece. We support small producers and family operated winemakers, and we take time to research before establishing our main suppliers. Not only is it important to help the community but also to remain true to your people. We do source from outside of Greece as well of course, but even then we go through good research to find the best.
You marry your Greek heritage with Mediterranean creativity; which of these sings the loudest from your plates?
A cook is first and foremost a traveller. During his years of apprenticeship, he must travel and collect as many ‘souvenirs’ as he can from each place. When the time comes for him to write his own history, like a jigsaw puzzle he must piece together these memories and graft his knowledge and memories onto it.
I spent most of my cooking career in France, where I learned to respect the A material, to recognise its value and of course the techniques that form the basis of the world’s professional gastronomy. I think to get to your question, my menu at CTC has a balance of both. The Mediterranean creativity we all have in the region is definitely visible but I think my respect to Greek cuisine shines as well. I make sure the team and I study all the new and the latest techniques. Travel means a lot and makes that deeper. Returning to Greece after all my time out there, I took all these foundations and turned them into something that exudes Greece.
Where did your love of art come from, and how does it fit into your love for cooking?
Although I don’t consider cooking to be purely an art, I believe that it shares countless common elements with the world of painting. Moreover, chefs possess many characteristics of artists, especially in their temperament. From a young age, I was fascinated by visiting galleries to admire painters or/ and other arts. When I entered the world of gastronomy, perhaps out of envy (as I’m a terrible painter), I started to view the plate as a canvas to be filled with flavours, colours, aromas, and textures. And now I can’t stop.
You have trained under some brilliant and prolific French chefs. How has that time nurtured your love of food?
I had the honour of being alongside chefs whose work I have always admired deeply. Their creativity, dedication, and mastery in their fields have always been a source of inspiration for me. Working with them was a dream come true as a young chef.
Observing their passion and commitment up close was a transformative experience, one that has profoundly influenced my own professional journey. This exposure to greatness not only fuelled my admiration for cooking and wanting to achieve more but also raised a burning desire within me to carve out my own path and establish a unique identity. When I was among my mentors and could see how relentlessly their pursuit of excellence was, it challenged me to push my boundaries, embrace my own creative potential, and strive for a personal standard of excellence. That’s how important it is to have good leaders.
How has your journey evolved over the last 10 years?
Despite facing significant challenges during the years of financial crisis in Greece, these 10 years have been the most productive of my life. During this time, I made sure I was working towards the right direction, working hard to not only earn accolades and awards but also launching two projects that I am particularly proud of: CTC and the latest project Ortsag. We decided to open Ortsag (reads gastro reversed) to do even more work with sustainability and waste management. Ortsag is located across the road from CTC, where we use as much of the produce and ingredients that are left from CTC on the menu at Ortsag. This way we waste less, as we all know fine dining has more waste due to the specifications and the techniques needed. This way we create some very eclectic comfort street food with the finest ingredients. I am so proud of this project and how much people love it.
These ventures have provided me with a platform to channel my creativity and share my passions with the world. Through CTC and Ortsag, I am able to bring my imaginative visions to life and offer unique experiences that reflect what I love most.
How are you uniting chefs from around the world?
Cooking is a passport to the world. As a cook, you can travel wherever you love and get a job in one week. I’ve met colleagues from all parts of the world, and it’s such a spontaneous connection – you effortlessly have so many things to say. This way we started doing some great collabs with other chefs, we do four hands at CTC with chefs from other restaurants that share the same philosophy, we work on some charity dinners to give back and we always look to hire internationally and have open positions at CTC for stage or permanently.
What do you love the most about your life at CTC?
The people. The guests, the team, meetings and speaking with them. Learning new things and hearing all about their travels and their feedback. The connection with people is truly magical. Witnessing guests embrace the dishes I prepare for them is an incredible experience.
Their reactions and appreciation fuel my passion for cooking, making every effort worthwhile. Seeing them enjoy what I create, and knowing that my food has brought them joy, is an unmatched feeling.
What is the future for Greek gastronomy?
Greek cuisine has begun – for quite some time – to gain more recognition and appreciation beyond its borders. Many of my colleagues, both in Greece and abroad, are dedicated to showcasing the new modern Greek cuisine through traditional recipes, to still keep the authenticity there. This renewed focus on our culinary heritage, combined with the exceptional quality of our ingredients – which are now consistently available – shows a promising future for Greek gastronomy. As more people discover the rich flavours and unique dishes of our cuisine, I am confident that Greek food will continue to flourish on the global stage.