Christoforos Peskias
Σεφ & Συν-ιδιοκτήτης του εστιατορίου ATENO GREEK COUSINE
For Christoforos Peskias, cooking exists somewhere between two worlds: tradition and evolution. His heart lies in the flavours, memories and roots of Greek and Cypriot cuisine, while his creative mind has always been drawn towards modern technique and constant experimentation. It is within this contrast that he has developed a distinctive culinary identity—one that can be modern yet nostalgic, innovative yet deeply emotional.
Born and raised in Cyprus, Peskias initially followed a very different path, studying Business Administration at Boston University. It was during his time in the United States, however, that he discovered his passion for cooking. Returning to Athens in 1992, he began his professional culinary career at Dash in Kifissia, before heading back to the United States to work in Chicago with his first mentor, Charlie Trotter.
At the heart of it all remains the philosophy that best defines his cooking: his heart lies in tradition, while his mind is driven by modern technique. For Peskias, moving gastronomy forward does not mean leaving the past behind. Instead, memory, familiar flavours and local ingredients can become the starting point for something entirely new.
At Gastrosophy Fest 2026, Christoforos Peskias will join the conversation around The Value of Nourishment and Its Journey, sharing his perspective on the relationship between tradition and evolution, and on how culinary memory can become a powerful starting point for contemporary creativity.
Back in Greece, he continued his journey through some of Athens’ best-known restaurants, including Rock ’n Roll and Balthazar. A defining chapter followed with the creation of 48 The Restaurant. Before its opening, Peskias travelled across Europe to further develop his craft, training alongside some of the most influential figures in international gastronomy, including Ferran Adrià and Joël Robuchon.
48 quickly became one of Greece’s most acclaimed restaurants, gaining recognition both at home and internationally. Restaurant Magazine ranked it among the world’s top 100 restaurants in both 2007 and 2008, while Peskias himself received a series of Chef of the Year distinctions.
His career, however, has never been defined by a single expression of gastronomy. From Π-BOX, where Greek tradition met a more accessible, cosmopolitan approach, to the Poseidonion in Spetses, Balthazar in Athens and Jackie O’ in Mykonos, Peskias has continued to explore different interpretations of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. In Mykonos, his approach has placed particular emphasis on local Cycladic ingredients, bringing them into a contemporary and cosmopolitan culinary setting.
Through his boutique catering venture Different & Different, as well as his presence on Greek television, his work has also extended beyond the restaurant kitchen, allowing his approach to food to reach different audiences and take on new forms.
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