Having worked for over 10 years in Sydney’s highly competitive hospitality industry, I have managed award winning cafés catering to a range of customers from inner-city locals to up-market tourists. Working for so long in hospitality has turned me into a bit of a “foodie”, and ever since I’ve been on the lookout for the best and freshest food I can get my hands on.

I first visited Greece 3 years ago, and completely fell in love with the local food culture. The freshness of it, the timeliness, and most of all the way it’s eaten and shared. Every meal is to be taken slowly, savouring not only the delicious food itself, but the social aspect of enjoying good food with friends and strangers alike. So that sitting down to eat is not just about food, it’s about the point where flavour, culture and interpersonal connection meet to form a uniquely wholesome dining experience.

Once I dug a bit deeper into Greece’s food culture, I was blown away by the access to high quality local produce; delicious meats, fresh fruit and vegetables, tasty cheeses and yoghurts, honey and bread!

That’s one of the things I love most about Kos; I can go shopping for cheeses at the local cheesemaker, visit the local dairy farms and beekeepers, buy fresh bread and pastries which are baked daily, not to mention the olives, brined and soaked full of delicious flavour after each year’s Autumn harvest. Then there is the great selection of wines, refreshing beers from new boutique breweries, and of course the amazing local spirits. We hope to fashion a wine, beer and cocktail list which represents the finest wineries and breweries on Kos. Finally there are the ways in which all these things are brought together, to be enjoyed with others in that wonderful tradition of a relaxed, social meal.

Having spent so much time behind the counter in busy cafés, I know the importance of good coffee. I also know that nowhere can you get an ice coffee quite like a Greek Freddo Espresso. I love the way it’s served, cold-blended, to be sipped slowly and savoured in the heat of the day. When it comes to our own coffee, we want to ensure the high level of quality and care that goes into each roast and brew, so that our guests can be sure that no matter which way they want to enjoy their coffee, they can be sure that it will be the best on Kos.

It’s incredibly exciting to work with such talented chefs, taking the timeless classics of Greek cuisine and using my own experience in Sydney’s fine food culture to give the food at Sails on Kos a little extra flare, for an experience that will not only be delicious and memorable, but will remain faithful to the ethos that makes the traditional Greek dining experience so enjoyable.