Fine food and family at the heart of Mykonos’ Myconian Collection
- Written by Anna Caswell
Renowned for its fabulous fine dining and genuine Greek hospitality, the family-owned-and-operated Myconian Collection hotels offer visitors an authentic yet luxurious Mykonos experience.
SYDNEY, Australia – 28 March 2019: Gastronomy is a serious business at Mykonos’ Myconian Collection Hotels & Resorts, where internationally-trained chefs create dishes showcasing farm-to-table ingredients and seafood sourced through the founding family’s time-honoured ties to local farmers and fisherman.
With more than a dozen gourmet restaurants housed in some of Mykonos’ most spectacular locations, the Myconian Collection is committed to sharing regional flavours and fresh seasonal produce with discerning visitors to its nine boutique properties.
Since opening the doors to its first hotel back in 1979, the Daktylides family - one of Mykonos’ pre-eminent names in hospitality - delivers unsurpassed quality when it comes to cuisine. Myconian Collection preaches a paddock-to-plate philosophy, nurturing relationships with local producers as part of its commitment to maintaining a strong local identity, and ensuring hotel guests enjoy a true taste of Mykonos. This philosophy is maintained by founder George Daktylides, who grew up living off the land and trading cheese, sausages, cured fish and produce for imported sugar, flour, coffee and spaghetti.
“Today, our guests enjoy the modern-day version of Mykonos’ paddock-to-plate culture, dining on dishes featuring lamb and pork which has been hand-reared on our family’s land, and octopus caught for our chefs by one of the island’s most famous fisherman,” says Vangelis Daktylides, General Manager of Myconian Ambassador Hotel.
“Our chefs create innovative dishes using vegetables and herbs that are grown exclusively for our restaurants on a private farm. Each ingredient is harvested by hand, including the salt which is collected from around the island of Delos. My father George still does his weekly rounds with trays of farm eggs, homegrown lamb and goat’s meat, and my mother Eleftheria’s home-made cheeses and cakes loaded into his truck,” added Vangelis Daktylides.
Hotels guests are welcome to dine at any of the Myconian Collection’s restaurants, with concierges on hand to book tables. Options include fine dining with sea views, sushi under the stars, Asian fusion, traditional Greek flavours, or classic Mediterranean cuisine.
Myconian Ambassador, Korali and Utopia, are proud members of Relais & Châteaux; where restaurants lie at the heart of each property. All three hotels offer a selection of delectable dining options including Mediterranean flavours, vibrant pool bars and sea front beach restaurants - even the savviest palate will be inspired.
At Myconian Ambassador, guests can enjoy decadent dining overlooking the lovely bay of Platis Gialos at Efisia – one of the island’s top tables, while casual lunches and cool cocktails are centre stage at the iconic George’s Bar. Over at the glamorous Myconian Avaton Resort; Panorama occupies a prime position alongside the impressive infinity pool, while Kokkino Bar dishes up late-night drinks and snacks with magnificent views.
A member of Leading Hotels of the World, Myconian Imperial is home to the newly opened Sishu Sushi Bar, where top chef Meiwang Ke Steven heads up the kitchen. Steven conjures up irresistible dishes using local seafood delivered at daybreak and sourced for the restaurant. Gorgeously fresh, perfectly prepared sushi is on the menu, accompanied by unique Greek-Japanese fusion creations - all to be enjoyed with a spectacular view or under the stars.
Dining in is a delectable affair, with hotel guests able to arrange for a personal chef to prepare meals in the privacy of a suite or villa. The in-house chef service includes daily fresh grocery delivery, breakfast served by your personal chef, tailor-made romantic dinners, special meals, fully-catered parties and events, as well as pool lunches upon request. Whether guests wish to arrange for a private and memorable dining experience, or simply enjoy a meal that’s not on the menu, a personal chef and his team are always available.
Research reveals food is a major focus for many Australian travellers, with a recent survey[i] co-conducted by luxury travel advisors, The Goldman Group, underlining luxury travellers’ passion for unique adventures and cultural & culinary experiences, with food cited as a major reason for travelling by almost half of the survey’s respondents.
The Myconian Collection has a variety of restaurants amongst its hotel portfolio including:
The culinary experience at the poolside a-la-carte restaurant Cabbanes surpasses all expectations and requires both appetite and unbounded hedonism. Expect a subtle culinary adventure that draws on the best in local produce, served by candlelight in a breathtaking setting under the star-studded night sky, with views across a moonlit sea.
Utopia - Pavilion Relais & Chateaux
With the famous Myconian night as its curtain call, the Pavilion restaurant delivers a star performance every evening. A refined menu in the true gourmet tradition of Relais & Châteaux is complemented by spectacular sea views and, naturally, an exceptional wine list that includes both international vintages and a selection of rare gems from Greek wineries picked by our expert sommelier.
Imperial - Celebrities Seafood
Dine among the stars at the Myconian Imperial’s à la carte restaurant – those suspended in the sky above, and the stellar culinary experiences prepared by our executive chef Tasos Almpanis. Using locally grown, seasonal and organic produce, he believes that flavours should be subtle enough not to overwhelm the unique fragrance of the freshest Mediterranean ingredients.
Elegant Ambrosia restaurant offers an à-la-carte menu of unaffected simplicity and a few gastronomic surprises, all of which are an expression of the passionate culinary team’s philosophy that nothing is done purely for show. Sea views and candlelight enhance the distinctive culinary experience.
Kyma - NOA Traditional Greek Cuisine
NOA combines culinary heritage and contemporary innovation to create haute cuisine, with rich Mediterranean flavours and appetising aromas that come into their own with the finest farm-to-table ingredients, grown, reared or fished exclusively for Kyma. Expect an exciting journey of Mediterranean gastronomy with traditional Greek mezethes like fried squid calamari, fava beans with octopus, lentil salad, moussaka, pasticcio or dolmades – all tasting as if they came out of our grandmother’s kitchen, but with an haute cuisine attitude.
Korali - Baos Relais & Châteaux
The legendary Relais & Châteaux gastronomic experience is interpreted with international finesse and sophistication at Baos Fine Dining. Local ingredients grown exclusively for Korali are integral to our seasonal menus, enhanced by the passion of our chef for regional flavours and flair for innovation. Using molecular and fusion techniques, he creates dishes that taste even more spectacular than they look.
Naros fulfils Naia’s promise of blissful indulgence at a sensory level, as foodies of every persuasion will be seduced by the aromas and flavours served up by executive chef Panagiotis Tsoukatos. Passionate about expressing the variety of Italian cuisine and preserving pure flavours, his style is a fusion of traditional Mediterranean and international trends.
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