The award-winning Alexandros Sperchos, based in Dubai, innovates and takes culinary pleasure - and cuisine in general - one step further by taking it into the world of crypto.[/QUOTE]
The award-winning Alexandros Sperchos, based in Dubai, innovates and takes culinary pleasure - and cuisine in general - one step further by taking it into the world of crypto. The 31-year-old chef was in his hometown for the celebrations of the Kalavryta Cooperative, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, since the first production of the famous PDO FETAS PDO, and talks to APE-MPA.
Through the restaurants his family runs in mountainous Kalavryta, he explains how he made an entry into a highly competitive environment, turning his dishes into works of art. While, as the head of the EYZIN restaurant, which operates in the Greek pavilion at the global "EXPO 2020" in Dubai, (which was postponed the previous two years and is taking place this year), he points out that he has established a zero waste policy in his kitchen, applying totally environmentally friendly cooking practices.
"I created, initially, four unique dishes, with a strong Greek flavor, and two cocktails that glow in the dark, marrying gastronomy with art. They were presented at a special event in the United Arab Emirates. That was the point in time when the decision was made to make these high gastronomy dishes 3D files and to enter the world of NFTs," Spherhos tells APE-MPA.
Chef Spherhos' inspiration and unique creations transform high gastronomy cuisine into a new art form.
The inspiration and unique creations of Chef Spherhos transform high gastronomy cuisine into a new form of art. Food now becomes a work of art in a continuous auction that constantly raises the price, turning it into an unprecedented investment. Also, according to the design, in the near future, by acquiring an NFT dish, the bidder will also get the opportunity for fine dining with its creator.
"When it comes to cooking, my philosophy is to always use organic ingredients of the highest quality and to present my dishes as works of art. Like a painting within our plate, using shapes, colours and textures that create a unique culinary experience," says Sperchos. And he notes that he consistently chooses products from Kalavryta, which he imports to Dubai, such as the famous trahanas, which frames many of his popular dishes, and which he says "foreigners love to eat."
What are these dishes? As he explains: "The first special NFT collection includes the following dishes: The Harvest Burrata Salad with crispy tomato topping lying on olive powder, accompanied by flavoured basil olive oil and mountain tea from Kalavryta. The Ocean AKTE -Scallops shimmering through a veil of citrus foam and fragrance of bright flowers. The HUNT Meet Vitamins-Wagyu meat sitting on purple carrot puree, grass puree lying in collagen sauce. Sweet of the Greek Gods orange pie emerging through a veil of dry ice smoke, and two mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails)."
It was announced that bidders at the event were lucky enough to meet Chef Sperho in person and make their first bids to acquire these unique NFTs. In fact, the bids have already quickly exceeded 5 Etherium (ETH), (about 20,000euros).
What are NFTs
They are unique digital files stored on a blockchain network. NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token and is essentially a digital intellectual property certificate, which proves that the owner of an NFT, owns the rights to an asset and proof of ownership.
ZERO WASTE
How did he get to zero waste practices in the kitchen, essentially minimizing the environmental footprint of his cooking? He explains to RES: "When we say zero waste, we don't mean that your mother refuses to let you leave the table until you finish all your food because there are hungry people out there. No, we're referring to chefs' habit of trying to produce hearty menus without producing waste by-products, which often results in some highly innovative dishes."
"For example," he continues, "we use our meat scraps for burgers, and for trahanas soups, for example.
All the beef we have from steaks, short ribs, beef fillets and ribs are ground into a special burger mix we call a four-star burger. 90% of the leftover bread becomes either breadcrumbs or croutons for the market salad."
Day-old bagels become chips, cookies are cut into smaller pieces and turned into the crust for cheesecake."
"At the moment, all the restaurants I'm setting up are operating with zero waste."
"At the moment, all the restaurants I'm setting up are operating with zero waste."
"At the moment, all the restaurants I'm setting up are operating with zero waste. A big example is the restaurant I am currently operating at Dubai's biggest event, Expo2020. It purely follows the Zero waste program. My goal is to promote, but also to support Greece to change in the catering sector, in the food waste part, to minimize it."
As Alexandros Sperchos tells APE-MPA: "As a chef who has been operating in Dubai for several years, I have noticed that in many kitchens the wastage of food that theoretically cannot be used immediately is high."
As Alexandros Sperchos tells APE-MPA: "As a chef who has been operating in Dubai for several years, I have noticed that in many kitchens the wastage of food that theoretically cannot be used immediately is high. Even if we as chefs make delicious dishes we have to embrace the impact on the environment and take the necessary steps to minimise this food waste. Many chefs now take part in the Zero waste chef program and I can say that this was the beginning in making me change my perspective on how I use the ingredients I manage in each of my dishes."
He adds: "I try to pass the same on to my team through clear instructions I give them on how to manage to maintain zero food waste. Something I can say that we have managed to do in both of the restaurants I run."
Who is Alexandros Sperchos
Alexandros is an award-winning chef, originally from Kalavryta. He has dedicated his culinary career, aiming to place Greek cuisine in the position it deserves on the world map. After a successful experience in Athens and the Greek islands, Alexandros accepted a tempting offer to promote Greek culture in Dubai, which led to a permanent position at the Royal Mirage, where he was responsible for three restaurants.
Three years later, he co-created the "Ena" restaurant in Dubai, bringing there more than 200 authentic Greek products from Greek producers from small villages in the territory.
In 2019, Alexandros became the official ambassador of Greek gastronomy in the United Arab Emirates (Greek Taste beyond Borders).
Source: APE-MPE
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