Antonis Kourkoutas

Antonis Kourkoutas was born in 1984 in Athens. His family was involved in catering, but he decided to pursue a career in the field during his teens, when he read interviews of reputed chefs that influenced him. He initially turned to pastry studies but soon dropped out in order to study culinary arts and pursue a master’s degree in Food & Beverage Management.

Since then he has begun his journey in professional kitchens, with main stop the famous Ithaki Restaurant where he has taken over the Asian Fusion menu. He is inspired by Japanese and Asian cuisine in general, and has been influenced by legendary chefs Rene Redzepi (Noma – Copenhagen) and David Kinch (Manresa – Los Gatos, California).

Greek products, sustainable gastronomy and zerowaste have played an important role in shaping his culinary identity. He enjoys working with seafood, vegetables and fermented Asian products, and he is used to experimenting with innovative dishes in order to provide an unprecedented experience to the customer.

After 17 years in the kitchens, Antonis Kourkoutas has adopted Socrates’ saying “I know that I know nothing”, remaining thirsty for gastronomic explorations.