Category: News

1) Rich History

It is one of Europe's oldest and most multiethnic cities, with several Early christian and Byzantine Churches and monuments, constituting a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It marries its thousands-year-old multicultural heritage with Byzantine, Ottoman and Sephardic Jew landmarks with cutting edge art performances and cinematic avant-garde.

2) Cultural Capital of Greece

Athens might have the Acropolis, but Thessaloniki has long been Greece's real cultural capital. Check some of the 30 Museums, 100 monuments and 15 Unesco monuments.

3) Today’s Creative Hub

With a student-strong population of 150,000 and the largest University in the Balkans, the Aristotle University, it has a youthful energy. The youth movement is building on rich historical foundations, Thessaloniki boasts an under-30s creative movement seen nowhere else in the recession-stricken Greece.

4) A Slice of Authentic Greek Life

Enjoy pedestrian precincts in the district of the old oil market (Ladadika), the Kapani and Modiano markets who are full of ouzeries and tavernas, each one serving their own specialties within their unique atmosphere. Carps, sardines, mussels, calamari and shrimps, along with salted fish, buffalo products, saffron and spices and local products are sold on stalls in the city markets next to nuts of all sorts and dry fruit, prunes and tachini halva with cocoa and almonds.

5) Multicultural

Multiculturalism isn't just a politician's buzzword here – it's part of the city's identity. Though Thessaloniki's old fashioned character went up in 1917, when a fire destroyed most of the city centre, it has been redesigned with boulevards and seaside plazas offering dramatic views to Mt Olympus, with colonnades and cafes.

The successful organization of the World Chefs Congress, which has been scheduled for next September in Thessaloniki, is the great challenge accepted by the Chefs Association of Northern Greece for 2016. One of the administration’s objectives is the creation of a Museum of Gastronomy in Thessaloniki, which will have interactive training equipment for children. Furthermore, the members of the Chefs Club will continue to cook daily in the neutral zone of Idomeni, more than 3,000 food portions for the refugees.

“It is a special year for us, as we will host the World Chefs Congress, held for the first time in a country of the South Mediterranean, from 24 to 27 September in Thessaloniki,” said Mr. George Mastrodimitris (President Chefs Association of Northern Greece) during the Chefs Club Annual Symposium, which was held on 11st January 2016, at the Met hotel, in the presence of 500 people, members and friends of the Chefs Club. The World Chefs Congress is held every two years by the World Federation of Chefs (WACS, World Association of Chefs Societies) consisting of 93 members – official national chefs associations worldwide, amassing 2000 chefs from every corner of the earth and firmly organized since 1928.

Mr. Mastrodimitris also said that the Chefs Club is searching for space in Thessaloniki to establish a Museum of Gastronomy, in collaboration with the municipality of Thessaloniki and the Region of Central Macedonia. “We think, among other things, to set up a kitchen in the Museum in cooperation with the non-profit organization” We can”, which fights the waste of food and is acting in favor of its exploitation.” Besides this goal, the President said that the chefs’ team, led by Chef Mr. Dimitris Kyriakopoulos, will be daily in Idomeni to cook for refugees. He noted that Mr. Kyriakopoulos was honored by the administration for his voluntary contribution to the orphanage “Melissa”, where he cooked for a year.

During the Symposium, the president of WorldChefs Mr. Charles Carroll, talked about the efforts of “Chefs without borders” to help refugees. “The chefs know that we should not distinguish people because of their color, race, opinions and beliefs,” highlighted Mr. Carroll. The General Manager of WorldChefs, Mr. Ragnar Fridriksson, expressed his enthusiasm for the hospitality of Thessaloniki. “It's your obligation to train Greek consumers to adopt Greek products,” said the President of the tasting Committee “Xrysoi Skoufoi” Mr. Dionysis Koukis, addressing to the chefs, while the global Chef Andy Cuthbert, spoke with praise for the cuisine of the city. The three global chefs and Mr. Koukis were declared honorary members of the Club.

The vice president of Chefs Club, Mr. Christos Gkotsis, gave report of the activities of the Club in 2015 and also said that “We will organize a successful World Congress. We are all here to work.” During the Symposium, the 25 new members of the Club were announced while the guests had the opportunity to taste dishes from the traditional Greek cuisine cooked by the executive Chef of the hotel, Dimitris Tsananas.

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