A TALENT CHEF, A WRITER, A RESTAURANT AND A STAR OF REALITY SHOW MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA, GEORGE KALOMBARIS PRESENTED THE CULINARY BEST SELLER "THE PRESS CLUB" AND PRUBELE BRUBELE BRUBELE BRUBELE BARLELLE BELLA BARLELUT BROOMELE BRUSTELE BROLEUST IN AN INTERVIEW TO THE “RUSSIAN EMIRATES” GEORGE TELLS ABOUT HIS FAVORITE FOOTBALL TEAM, EXPERIENCE IN FIGHTING EXCESS WEIGHT AND FUTURE PLANS.
The culinary fights at Materchief Australia are awesome! Are you so fond of your favorite business?
I am from a large Greek family in which everyone loves to eat. My mom is a great cook. And she taught me to be generous in choosing ingredients. So the seed was sown, which then gave sprouts. In addition, my travels had a strong influence on my culinary education. I traveled a lot around the world and have been working as a chef for about 17 years. I like to create something with my own hands, I am fascinated by the process of cooking, and the very idea of building a dish on a plate generates my creative thought. Of course, cooking is a special art for me. In addition, I’m always interested in people's reactions to food. Most often, I see them happy, and this gives me more strength.
Is it difficult to do business and hobbies at the same time?
My father has always been in business. And most likely, his business vein was passed to me. My restaurants give me the freedom to create and work.
How can you characterize your cooking style?
I have rich experience, but the style has remained unchanged. I am a fan of modern Greek cuisine.
And what is modern Greek cuisine?
This is the ability to be inspired by the classic taste and translate it into the modern jargon of cooking, without losing the essence of the dish and not diluting its taste. I can’t sit in one place, I want to develop further, hone my skills, so I constantly look at cookbooks and look for authentic recipes. But not so much to steal an idea, but to be inspired, come up with a new one or make a dish that I have already made more interesting.
Besides Greek, what kind of cuisine do you like?
I like Japanese and Italian cuisine and food with fresh ingredients. I don’t like junk food, I think because Australia has a huge selection of juicy fruits, vegetables, and seafood. Australians are lucky in terms of choosing natural products, and we are very responsible for the environment. Why harm her if there are so many other ways?
Do you support domestic manufacturers?
99 percent of the ingredients in my dishes are of Australian origin. I do not buy oysters from France - I have a great choice in the Queen Victoria market. Everything that is grown ethically is mine, I am a real Don in this regard (laughs).
Who is responsible for the creative part in Chef Kalombaris’s kitchen?
Of course, I myself. In the end, my name is! I have a great team of three hundred people and my task is to help them develop their potential. I support my workers. After all, if I help them become the best, they will thank me the same. I adore people. And the restaurant business is essentially about people and tastes.
Why are chefs usually men?
Everything is changing. The Spanish restaurant Arzak, which is headed by chef Elena Arzak, is among the top ten! I have many women in the kitchen. They are more organized, they love cleanliness, sometimes they are grumpy (laughs), but this is not a problem.
They say you remake The Press Club?
I have seven restaurants and this is my firstborn. Initially, it was located in an old building, in which a printing house used to work. I wanted to create an improved version. I want this to be a small place for 36 places, next we will place a separate project ... Experimental cuisine, especially for the creative process. Eight people can be located there, who will be able to observe the preparation of food.
What kind of music plays in restaurants?
We have guest DJs on Fridays. And depending on the season, we offer a rather diverse mix.
Have you come up with an interactive television cooking show?
I was not the author of the idea. I was just invited to the casting. And I decided to try. Four years have passed since then. But I know that this show is a huge success. As you can see, sometimes you find a real diamond. Masters are not just talented, they are open to everything new, therefore they become famous and successful after the show.
Yes, the chefs are very creative. How do you feel about food design concepts?
Food should not look artificial, any dish looks better visually, if it looks natural, for example, like autumn leaf fall - fresh, colorful. You never need to figure out how to put something on a plate, because food is not mathematical figures! Only a creatively assembled dish can become a work of art.
By the way, you look great in the frame! How did you manage to lose weight?
I would say that it is not only about diet or proper nutrition. The issue is maintaining internal harmony and the lifestyle in general. You need to monitor not only how much you eat, but also how you eat and when. Sport and exercise are essential to keep fit.
Besides food, do you have a hobby?
I love football. My team is Manchester United. My two passions are food and football. I also like to travel. Just returned from Budapest. Fantastic city! By the way, I hope to visit your place somehow and see Russia!
