Nikos Koulousias, Elizabeth’s Greek chef who cooked for Harry and Meghan’s wedding – is on this island

Nikos Koulousias is a Greek chef who has achieved a lot and received many awards in Greece and abroad.

He has worked at Buckingham Palace and cooked for both Queen Elizabeth and the historic royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Born in Germany to immigrant parents, he loves his village in Nafpaktos, where he returns often, and also Leros, which he calls “his homeland”.

Apart from his residence in Great Britain, he has travelled extensively around the world and his last stop was Bahrain.

He recently returned to Greece and lives permanently on the island of Leros where he is active professionally.

Nikos Koulousias himself spoke to Iefimerida.gr about his career, the celebrities he has cooked for and his new career move.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Nikos Koulousias and I am a chef. A smiling child and, as they say, full of joy! I focus on perfection in my work and balance in my personal life.

How did you decide to become a chef? Where did your love for food come from?

The “germ” was always inside me, maybe it wanted the tickling to go that far. Being my grandmother’s assistant made me love what I do even more.

You were among the chefs who cooked for Elizabeth and also at Harry and Meghan’s wedding. What’s it like cooking for blue bloods?

The beautiful thing is that you cook. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s a blue blood or a celebrity. It’s important to be consistent in seeing everyone you cook for with the same eye. The difference of course is that there are different preferences in terms of food.

However, for me, and I think for all of us who were there, it was a special and unforgettable experience. It was not easy to cook with 23 colleagues of different nationalities who you had never worked with before at this level to get such a result.

There is purely professional thinking and how the kitchen should work with the hierarchy. Frantic preparations so that everything comes out on time. Constant testing so that there is no mistake at the party.

Of course there are also unexpected things, when something unexpected happens to you, like that day I remember when our central refrigerator suddenly stopped working. However, there is always a plan B.

The beautiful thing about it is that you finish well and continue to do what you love at this level and I’m sure we’ll meet again at another event with the colleagues we met there.

What was it like living and working in England and at the Palace? Would you like to do it again? How did the experience leave you?

It was definitely a special experience that shaped my career. But I think at a young age we have to look forward and open up new horizons. Of course, if such an opportunity arises again, I will do it without a second thought.

Have you worked with any other celebrities? Which is one of your favorites?

I have cooked for many personalities from all over the world. But the highlight of my culinary career was when I had the honor of cooking for Formula 1 drivers when I was in Bahrain and the UAE. Finally, Greek cuisine is “pulsing” in people’s hearts.

When you love these drivers, who you only saw on TV as a kid, and suddenly you find them in the restaurant telling you what they want to try, it’s a different feeling. Because of the country and the prestige, a lot of people came to try my food.

I have been able to combine cooking and traveling. So, as long as I cook, I will travel either for business reasons or to search for new techniques and flavors. After all, every dish is a journey during which you will also cook for other famous people. It depends on the destination.

Now where are you? What are you doing now?

Some time ago I returned home, to my island, to the beautiful islands of Leros and I cook in an original restaurant “Skippers”. It is located in a beautiful location in the marina of Leros. It is a restaurant that offers very high levels of gastronomy but also offers the enjoyment of good cocktails and fine wines.

When this opportunity knocked on my door I didn’t have to think twice. The best thing for me is that I’m on my own island and can bring all my travels here deliciously for people to enjoy.

We have the opportunity to innovate and try other things outside the boundaries like a good Waguy steak or a Porterhouse but also new and modern techniques. A beautiful sunset in the afternoon with a nice cocktail. I am very happy with my team because we have taken the restaurant to the next level.

What are your future plans? Do you have a dream you want to achieve?

Definitely, next time I will be on my island, in the restaurant I took over as chef with the aim of bringing all my travels here. Definitely there are goals and dreams that my team and I have set since I first arrived. I think we are on a very good path!

Tell us about Greek cuisine.

Greek cuisine is a treasure in itself. If we notice that many people are requesting Greek chefs abroad and also outside Europe, this is a good sign for us.

Of course, Greek cuisine is difficult. Difficult in the sense that in my opinion you can’t change much and turn traditional recipes into gourmet recipes. Treasures that are already shining you can’t make them shine any brighter.