Xenophon Polimeros

"Hot or cold, savory or sweet, spicy or tart, regardless of the flavour, all my dishes evoke the feelings and passion I have for cooking."

Xenophon Polimeros, executive chef at the Malabar & Cafe Tabac, The Margi's restaurants

Cooking is a profession which can make you travel the world. Xenophon Polimeros, Executive Chef at the Malabar & Cafe Tabac, The Margi's restaurants at Vouliagmeni, takes it for granted ! From Kenya, to Holland, passing through Brazil, his cooking talents eventually brought him back to his roots: Greece.

Travelling for cooking inspiration

We found in Xenophon Polimeros a chef for whom travel is not a mere word. He travels at least once a year "to the Metropolis of gastronomy, New York city and when I have the opportunity I travel to Istanbul, Nicosia, Milan, Barcelona, Valletta, Tunis and Casablanca."

A Mediterranean chef

Regarding ingredients, his preference goes for Mediterranean products from Greeks and Romans countries "which had an agricultural tradition of cultivating wheat, olives and wines".
His dishes are most influenced by its Greek surrounding: "Blue skies, shimmering blue seas, golden beaches, stark white walls, bright red, green, yellow, purple and orange flowers, fruit and vegetable create a beautiful palette from which to work".
For him "Mediterranean cuisine and diet is evocative of good quality home-cooking". In Malabar and Café Tabac he creates meals that guests would expect in such an environment.

A cooking of passion, a passion for cooking

Chef Polimeros doesn't have any preferred flavours, hot or cold, savory or sweet, all his dishes evoke the feelings and passion he has for cooking. "Love is the emotion that is a common element in my dishes. In addition to understanding the cuisine and the food trends, a synergy must exists in order for all these variables to work together to produce a taste that is memorable" he said adding that the goal of his cooking is "to evoke happiness and smiles from our guests, to initiate good, jovial conversation and to create a pleasurable and relaxed dining experience in totality".

A team philosophy

Xenophon Polimeros starts to work early in the morning, his day beginning at the central market of Athens and Piraeus to find the best quality produce at a good price.
He works in a team of 32 members at The Margi kitchen where his philosophy is that the dishes must firstly impress them. He always says to his team that "if you love what you do, others will love the product of your creation".

So goes Xenophon Polimeros life with happiness and real passion for cooking, "The new day begins almost as soon as I finish the previous one", love for cooking one day after another...