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Jon Adgemis taken to court by rag trade family for alleged debts

The Greek Herald
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Former KPMG dealmaker turned hospitality investor, Jon Adgemis, is being sued by Richard Gazal, the late Joe Gazal’s son, for alleged debts, according to The Australian Financial Review.

This case is the latest in a series of legal cases against Adgemis, as his Public Hospitality Group owns around 20 hotels and has been beset by significant debt and cash flow issues.

“This is a commercial matter which is close to being resolved,” Adgemis told the Australian Financial Review on Friday about the latest legal case.

Jon Adgemis
Some of Jon Artemis’ debt is being passed on to new hands. Photo: The Australian Financial Review.

Legal issues are nothing new to Adgemis. The private investment vehicle of billionaire Bruce Gordon filed a lawsuit against Adgemis’ company in 2021, claiming he was due more than $6.4 million.

In 2020, Adgemis was also sued by the Chinese-owned firm Aqualand Developments for a debt exceeding $9 million. Since then, however, both situations have been resolved.

The next hearing in the NSW Supreme Court concerning Gazal’s lawsuit against Adgemis is scheduled for February 2024.

Adgemis has made no further comment on the upcoming case.

Source: The Australian Financial Review

Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas slams ‘low attendance’ at Boxing Day cricket match

The Greek Herald
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Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas slams ‘low attendance’ at Boxing Day cricket match

Perth Mayor, Basil Zempilas has publicly slammed the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) crowd for a “poorly-attended” Boxing Day Test on Tuesday, December 26.

Zempilas witnessed thousands of empty seats at the MCG yesterday and resorted to X, formerly known as Twitter, to criticise Melbourne’s fans.

“Hmmmm. What’s their excuse? Not like you can go to the beach?” Zempilas wrote. 

Fans were quick to hit back at Zempilas following his post.

“Probably get more on Day 1 with rain forecast for half the day than the entire crowd for 4 days of the Perth test,” one fan wrote.

“You should have gone to the beach instead of posting your tweet,” another fan commented. 

According to Daily Mail, the official attendance number for the first day of the Test was 62,167, which is the second highest for the first day of an Australian-Pakistan Test at the stadium.

It also outnumbers the combined attendance in Perth, which was just more than 59,000 across four days of activity.

Despite missing nearly three hours owing to inclement weather on Tuesday, Pakistan managed to deliver 66 overs against Australia in front of 62,167 fans at the MCG.

Source: Daily Mail

Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos demands compensation for beach Christmas party bill

The Greek Herald
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Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos demands compensation for beach Christmas party bill

Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos has demanded compensation for the substantial cleaning cost left behind by a raucous Christmas beachside party in Sydney’s inner-east.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Masselos revealed the annual Bronte beach Christmas party drew approximately 10,000 people — 20% more than prior years — who trashed the historic site.

Thousands of predominantly backpackers and travellers celebrate Christmas Day at Bronte Beach this year. Jane Dempster.
Thousands of predominantly backpackers and travellers celebrate Christmas Day at Bronte Beach this year. Photo: Jane Dempster.
Local resident of Bronte Beach Robert Kokolich is seen helping the Council workers clean up the enormous amount of rubbish. Photo Gaye Gerard.
Local resident of Bronte Beach Robert Kokolich is seen helping the Council workers clean up the enormous amount of rubbish. Photo: Gaye Gerard.

Ms Masselos stated that the Waverley region was widely highlighted in tourism advertising and material, but the council received no additional cash to manage the “consequences” of the summer visitor rush.

“If the state and federal governments are going to be promoting these tourist spots, councils need support to manage the consequences of that,” she said.

Masellos’ statements come after a similar mess was left behind after last year’s Christmas party.

Sydney's Bronte beach after partygoers left masses of trash following their Christmas Day celebrations in 2022. Photo NewsWire.
Sydney’s Bronte beach after partygoers left masses of trash following their Christmas Day celebrations in 2022. Photo: NewsWire.

“As always I am appalled that people show such little response for such a beautiful environment. It’s a huge issue,” Masselos told The Daily Telegraph.

A Waverly Council spokesman expressed in a statement that while they were pleased with the overall behaviour at the event on Monday, the amount of trash was “disappointing.”

No comments have been made by State or Federal Government on providing councils with compensation.

Source: The Daily Telegraph

SYRIZA leader joins with Greek Australian for Christmas outreach program

The Greek Herald
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SYRIZA leader joins with Greek Australian for Christmas outreach program

Leader of Greece’s main opposition party SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, Stefanos Kasselakis embarked on a meaningful Christmas Eve outreach initiative accompanied by Greek Australian, Christos Alefantis, editor of the street magazine Schedia, and Michalis, a homeless individual.

Kasselakis joins Schedia in Christmas outreach to Athens' homeless
Kasselakis joins Schedia in Christmas outreach to Athens’ homeless.
Kasselakis joins Schedia in Christmas outreach to Athens' homeless
Kasselakis joins Schedia in Christmas outreach to Athens’ homeless.

According to amna.gr, they walked the “invisible paths” of Athens together, engaging with the city’s homeless population, and later shared a festive dinner at the Shedia house.

In a social media post accompanied by a video, Kasselakis expressed his commitment to understanding the experiences of the homeless and emphasised the national goal of eradicating homelessness if SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance was elected to power.

The video captures Kasselakis engaging in heartfelt conversations with Michalis and expressing gratitude to Alefantis for Shedia’s impactful 11-year journey.

Mr Michalis shared his personal journey from homelessness to finding support and cultural reintegration through Shedia, underlining the magazine’s holistic impact on those who have experienced homelessness.

Source: amna.gr

Thessaloniki bids farewell to Vasilis Karras

The Greek Herald
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Thessaloniki bids farewell to Vasilis Karras

The Greek city of Thessaloniki on Tuesday, December 26 was gripped by grief as it bid a poignant farewell to the legendary folk singer Vasilis Karras.

Karras, who succumbed to cancer at the age of 70 after battling both the illness and a recent bout of COVID-19, leaves behind an indelible mark on Greek music.

As early as 8 am, a multitude of friends and devoted fans gathered at the Holy Church of Agia Sophia in Thessaloniki.

Crowds paid their last respects on December 26 to popular Greek singer Vasilis Karras who passed away at age 70 on December 24 after a long battle with cancer. Photo by KONSTANTINOS TSAKITZIS EUROKINISSI.
Crowds paid their last respects on December 26 to popular Greek singer Vasilis Karras who passed away at age 70 on December 24 after a long battle with cancer. Photo: KONSTANTINOS TSAKITZIS / EUROKINISSI.

The crowd, eager to pay their respects, pre-emptively secured a place in the popular pilgrimage. Applause and cries of “Immortal Vasilara!” filled the air as the beloved artist’s body was honoured by the people.

Images captured the emotional arrival of Vasilis Karras’ body, drawing crowds bidding their final farewells. The folk singer’s family, visibly united in grief, embraced at the holy temple, with his wife, daughter, and brother providing mutual support.

Karras' daughter at her father's funeral service. Photo iefimerida.
Karras’ daughter at her father’s funeral service. Photo: iefimerida.

Many in attendance clutched bouquets of white flowers, intending to place them in the coffin as a gesture of love and respect. The courtyard and surrounding public spaces overflowed with thousands of fans, patiently waiting to bid farewell to their cherished singer.

Karras’ funeral will fulfill his last wish by taking place in his hometown, Kokkinohori Kavala. In lieu of wreaths, the family requests contributions to the “Floga” Association of Parents of Children with Neoplastic Diseases.

Vasilis Karras, who passed away at 70 after a long battle with cancer, was given his last goodbye at the Church of God Sophia in Thessaloniki. Photo by KONSTANTINOS TSAKITZIS EUROKINISSI. 2
Vasilis Karras, who passed away at 70 after a long battle with cancer, was given his last goodbye at the Church of God Sophia in Thessaloniki. Photo: KONSTANTINOS TSAKITZIS / EUROKINISSI.

Thessaloniki, the city where Karras’ musical journey began, declared a three-day mourning period. The Association of Restaurants, Grills, Cafes, Bars of Thessaloniki decided to exclusively play Vasilis Karras’ music for three days as a tribute to the iconic artist.

Artists who shared the stage with Karras on the night of his passing also bid him a heartfelt adieu, dedicating words and songs to the beloved “lord” of the dance floor.

Source: Hellas Post

European race walk champion Antigoni Drisbioti sends well wishes for New Year

The Greek Herald
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European race walk champion Antigoni Drisbioti sends well wishes for New Year

Antigone Drisbioti has spent the last three weeks in Australia where she began her preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Karditsa athlete met in Melbourne with the sportswriter of The Greek Herald, Bill Roumeliotis, and sent her well wishes for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“Merry Christmas, with health, love and joy for the whole world!! I wish you in 2024 to realise your wishes, to have health, love, happiness and success in everything you do!” she said.

“2023 leaves me with a successful year as I won the bronze medal in the 35km race walk at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. For 2024 next year it is an Olympic year and I expect distinction and a medal in July at the Olympic Games in Paris.”

Surfing and the sea: Greek man recounts his first Christmas in Australia

The Greek Herald
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Surfing and the sea: Greek man recounts his first Christmas in Australia

By Panagiotis Dalatariof

On November 26, 2023, Dimitris Papadopoulos Papadatos said goodbye to his beloved dog, Maci, at Athens International Airport ‘Eleftherios Venizelos,’ as he prepared to board a plane that would take him to the other side of the world.

In that moment, he realised how much he would miss her. He knew he would miss her beforehand, but in that moment, the harsh reality of the two of them separating hit him hard.

Today, about a month into his life in Australia, Dimitris describes his experiences in New South Wales to The Greek Herald. He talks about his first days in a country where Christmas is celebrated quite differently than it is in Greece.

No streetlights, or turkeys, or people crowding the chaotic streets of Athens, or partygoers in bars – these things were no longer part of his life in Byron Bay.

first christmas in australia

Dimitris captured his initial days in the land that allowed him to live his life in the way that he desires: by surfing, exploring nature, and experiencing his daily life where he loses himself in an ‘unreal world,’ as he describes it.

“I never believed I would find myself in such a beautiful place in my life,” Dimitris told The Greek Herald.

first christmas in australia
first christmas in australia

“I grew up with my grandfather, who spent half of his life in Africa, and told me stories about his safaris there. So, from a young age, I was inspired by watching documentaries and learning everything I could about animals, nature, and everything that surrounds them. I come from Greece, a country that is largely surrounded by the sea, but not by an ocean.

“I embarked on this journey to Australia, initially to see this wonderful country, to spend my summer surfing, and to meet my friends. I live in Athens, a beautiful but chaotic city where nothing stops, 24 hours a day. There’s endless traffic on the streets, horns and shouting from the pressure of everyday life, and I don’t have that opportunity to live in nature.

“After a 30-hour journey with three layovers, I landed in the Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia, where my friends came to pick me up. I woke up the next day around 5 am due to the jet lag, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Everything was so beautiful, peaceful, with sounds I had never heard before, like birds talking to each other. Later, I went to the Brunswick Heads area, just outside Byron Bay – this is where I listen to the sounds of the ocean every morning.

first christmas in australia

“It’s the trip of a lifetime, I felt it from the very first moment. Memories that cannot be bought and will remain sweet with me forever. Infinite nature, trees I had never seen before, endless beaches, lizards, birds, and koalas. I wake up almost every morning listening to sounds of the Kookaburra birds. I sit and watch water dragons hunting other insects and whatever else moves – I see these wonderful lizards that, when you first see them, you wonder, ‘What is this? Does it bite?’ To an Australian, it might sound funny – as it does to me now – but if you don’t know and suddenly see it in front of you, you take a step back right away.

“A few days ago, I lived the ultimate dream: I was surfing with a friend from Athens on a large beach called Broken Head Beach, where suddenly a pod of five dolphins came within 20 meters of me. I saw fins coming closer, and I honestly froze until I realised they were dolphins. Even then, encountering something so beautiful in open waters in the ocean was somewhat terrifying. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. These wonderful creatures dove under the waves and leaped; they were surfing with us. It was surreal.

first christmas in australia

“In Greece, we have sharks, but spotting one is very difficult, even for a fisherman. But here… I get out of the water, and I watch my feet. Yes, I know it may sound funny to some, but I learned to swim with sparrows and barbels. Nature and things to see! Endless… You need to have the desire to travel.

“Here, where I live in the Byron Bay area, everything is calm, and people are grounded. They’re polite, they say good morning, and they don’t live in chaos. No traffic lights on the streets, and traffic is very minimal. You don’t hear noise, and wherever you sit, you hear the leaves rustling in the trees and birds chirping.

“I’m sure, in a city like Sydney, the rhythms and many other things would be different, but here it is like paradise. I don’t feel Christmas particularly because I’m not in London, where everything is decorated from October. The melancholy of winter and Christmas that one might feel here does not exist. It’s summer. Wherever you look, there are surfboards, children playing on the beach, groups of friends sitting and talking with smiles on their faces. The roads are wide and open, where people run and ride bicycles.

first christmas in australia
first christmas in australia

“I thought that being away from home, my family, Maci, and my friends, I would feel uncomfortable, lonely, and that I would quickly forget Greece. And yes, to some extent I do, but here, I have felt so much love from the people around me, and I get to meet new people every day. In Byron Bay, the food is incredible! It has Japanese, Thai, Korean… whatever you want. Primarily, though, it has Greek in the centre of Byron Bay. What could be better? The restaurant is called ‘Kouzina,’ and I visit it three times a week with lots of joy because it has amazing food, Greek music, and we get to dance.

“Why would I miss my home? And even if I did, here I eat dolmades, moussaka, and fava. I feel like I’m at home, like I’m on a summer vacation on an island, and my grandmother is cooking for me – it’s truly wonderful.

“Now I understand why there is such a large Greek community in Australia. I feel lucky to be in this country, to see things with my own eyes that I wouldn’t believe unless I saw them for myself, and I am incredibly grateful. I wish anyone who hesitates for any reason to come here, to just get on the plane and visit Australia. It is unreal. Thank you, thank you!”

Peter Dutton MP sends hopeful Christmas message to Greek Australians

The Greek Herald
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Peter Dutton MP sends hopeful Christmas message to Greek Australians

Australia’s Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton MP, has sent a hopeful message to the Greek Australian community to ahead of Christmas.

Full message in English:

peter dutton christmas message

A ray of hope in the gloom of war: The Palestinian Santa Claus of Jerusalem

The Greek Herald
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A ray of hope in the gloom of war: The Palestinian Santa Claus of Jerusalem

War is raging and misery has spread like a shroud over the Middle East.

In the setting synonymous with dystopia, a perpetual hopeless drabness that leaves no optimism for anything, the colour red briefly intrudes. The colour of the Palestinian Santa Claus in Jerusalem, who is a small, imperceptible ray of optimism.

These days, despite the war raging in Gaza during the Christmas season, he sent his wishes again. Louder than ever to be heard everywhere and to finally put an end to this war that is causing untold misery.

On a camel instead of a sleigh, Santa Claus sent his wishes from the Old City of Jerusalem.

For 17 years now during Christmas, the Christian by religion, Palestinian former basketball player, Issa Kassissieh has been wearing his red uniform, black boots and disguising himself as the children’s favourite Santa Claus.

jerusalem santa clause

The cave of Isa

“The most important message to send from the heart of the world, Jerusalem, is the message of peace and hope from the Holy Land. I wish that this war will stop,” the Palestinian Santa Claus said.

Under other circumstances, Jerusalem cradles civilisation, the Holy City where three monotheistic religions meet along with worshippers. The war, however, had other plans. Until last year, the streets would glow with red and green lights every December.

Christian pilgrims would arrive in the eastern part of the city, annexed by Israel, to pray in the many churches. People from every corner of the earth would take part, regardless of whether they believed or not. They would come across a figure, mounted on a camel, dressed in Santa Claus’ clothes, wishing Merry Christmas.

jerusalem santa clause

Seven years ago, Issa Kassissieh, 52, a former basketball player, turned the ground floor of his 700-year-old house into a cave.

Here he greets visitors who want to meet the Palestinian Santa Claus, talk to him, have their picture taken with him, drink mulled wine and take a candy on the road. A year ago he welcomed the first visitors with their families who queued up to see him.

“We are dealing with many religions here in Jerusalem, we have Muslims, Christians and Jews. They all come to my house. I open my arms to everyone,” Kassissieh said.

His height – almost six feet tall – doesn’t seem to scare children when they approach him.

8-year-old, Marua, a Palestinian Muslim, expressed her love for him. “I’m not Christian, but I love Santa Claus, and we have a Christmas tree at home.”

jerusalem santa clause

Who is the Palestinian Santa Claus?

A mystery? No, he said.

“My name is Isa Anis Kassissieh, I am from Jerusalem, from the Old City of Jerusalem, my family has lived here for over 900 years. I became a Santa Claus 17 years ago. The story starts from the fact that my father liked to wear the Santa Claus costume for his children (my sister and me),” he explained.

“In 2016 I got a call from the Santa Claus School of New York, they asked me, ‘are you Santa Claus from Jerusalem?’ I said ‘yes’ and they said they wanted to invite me to the Santa Claus School in Denver, Colorado.”

jerusalem santa clause

The offer left him stunned.

“I took a breath and promised God that I want to give my best to the children and the Holy Land,” he said.

“Everyone loves coming here, and there are a lot of families who say, ‘Oh, we don’t have to travel out of the country now. We have Santa Claus in Jerusalem, we have the spirit of Christmas in Jerusalem’.”

What every child asks him, however, is if he will bring home an iPhone. But he promises nothing. He tells them, “let’s pray and if you’re on my good list, you’ll get it.”

Everyone knows him now when he’s riding around on his camel in the old city of Jerusalem.

“It’s important that our kids have fun, but we also want them to know the real story behind Christmas. It’s important to send a message of love and peace from Jerusalem, it’s the heart of the world. When we have peace here, we will have peace around the world,” he said.

jerusalem santa clause

The first steps

17 years ago, Isa discovered an old Santa Claus costume used by his father. He tried it on, it suited him so well that, wearing it, he went to the Jaffa Gate which was nearby. Children gathered and then he realised that “as a child I did not get to have this happiness, so it is time to give it to the children in Jerusalem.”

“Traveling around the world during the Christmas season, I realised how deeply embedded Santa Claus is in the culture of the West, while here, in the place where Christmas began, we only know Santa Claus from TV and movies,” he said.

The following year, Isa dressed up as Santa Claus again, but this time he also rented a camel. Since then, every Christmas, he is riding the camel. Santa Claus makes his rounds of the Old Town and in the afternoons he receives visits from children and their families at the “Santa Claus House.”

jerusalem santa clause

On days close to Christmas, visitors can wait in line for up to two hours to get in. Isa mostly funds these activities himself, but he also accepts donations from believers and organisations around the world.

When he went to Denver, Colorado, he learned to make wooden toys, make Christmas cookies and correctly say the “ho, ho, ho” that a proper Santa exclaims every now and then.

“The sound has to come from the belly,” he clarified.

“To be Santa Claus, everything you do must come from the heart, and the heart must be full of hope, love and peace.”

A few years ago, he enrolled for further studies at the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in Michigan. The famous school, which was founded 83 years ago, has trained over 5,000 Santas.

“I was told: “You’re the first Santa Claus from the Middle East and the Holy Land,” Isa emphasised.

jerusalem santa clause

The Greek roots of the Palestinian Santa Claus

Isa earns his living as a basketball coach in West Jerusalem. For 700 years, “Santa’s House” has been the family home of the Kassiyehs, who were the first Christian Orthodox family in East Jerusalem.

“My family came to Jerusalem 900 years ago, but we don’t know exactly where they came from. Some family members claim that we came from Greece. Others believe we came from the Palestinian city of Lydda,” he explained.

jerusalem santa clause

Some centuries back, the Kassiyehs started a tile industry. Many of them decorate the Church of the Resurrection (the Church of the Holy Sepulchre) and other churches in the Holy Land.

Issa has ambitious dreams: he is negotiating with the Jerusalem municipality to organise a Santa Claus Conference, the first in Israel’s history. He intends to invite 50 Santas from all over the world and organise a parade through the streets of the city.

The war spoiled his plans, and as he said over and over again: “the most important message to send is the message of peace and hope from the Holy Land. I wish that this war will stop.”

Antonis Selekos: The chef who introduced panettone to the Greek Christmas table

The Greek Herald
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Antonis Selekos: The chef who introduced panettone to the Greek Christmas table

Βy Ilias Karagiannis

A leisurely walk in Italy on Christmas Day is enough to convince you that the ultimate dessert of the holidays is panettone. This fluffy dessert comes in various variations from including raisins and dried fruits to chocolate and other flavours. It is the equivalent of melomakarona and kourabiedes in Greece.

Only in the last five years, panettone has invaded the Christmas tables of the Greeks. And whilst it may not have dethroned the traditional kourabiedes and melomakarona, it is now a necessary supplement to the feast table. From the simple ones that can be found in supermarkets to the incredibly tasty versions found in pastry shops, like those created by the master of the genre, Antonis Selekos.

Antonis is a young pastry chef, only 31 years old, who distinguished himself at the well-known restaurant in Athens, Greece called ‘Funky Gourmet,’ which was honoured with two Michelin stars. Today, in the bustling neighbourhood of urban Pagrati, which is the ultimate gastronomic suburb of Athens, he maintains a boutique pastry shop, ‘Antonis Selekos Conceptual Desserts,’ where he sells his panettones at a frenzied pace.

Panettone-Selekos_

He is one of the main reasons that the panettone trend has strong foundations in Greece. Although he tells me his favourite dessert during the holidays is tsoureki, he believes that panettone is here to stay. Although he does not believe that it will ever replace kourabiedes and melomakarona.

“Many homes have been adding a panettone to their festive supplies in recent years. This is a trend and we see it in our orders. As Greeks, it is difficult to change our habits. We will definitely take melomakarona and kourabiedes for the holidays,” Antonis says.

However, the trend exists. It is possible, since it is fed by the supermarkets that now have panettone in a prominent place, to steal the show from the traditional sweets in Greece.

“The supermarket is both good and bad for promoting panettone. The consumer constantly sees it on the one hand. On the other hand it is not the best version of panettone that you will buy from there. It is not fresh,” Antonis explains.

Panettone-Selekos_
Panettone-Selekos_

Antonis’ passion for panettone

It all started in the summer of 2020. At the time, the young pastry chef was working at Funky Gourmet and was thinking of doing something of his own, but he had not decided what exactly that would be.

“It began by chance to tell you the truth. It was the quarantine period during the pandemic. The restaurant was closed and there was a gap to think about. At the suggestion of a friend of mine, I started to try creating panettone,” he says.

“I told him that the preparation of panettone was very difficult but I thought ‘let’s give it a try.’ I started experimenting with sourdough in Astypalea, where I spent my summer holidays. When I returned to Athens I continued experimenting and after a while I made a panettone, which I liked and sent it to Georgiana Hiliadakis, the chef of Funky Gourmet. She told me it was really tasty, and uploaded it to Instagram. That was it. I started taking orders.

“At the time, I set out to sell 100 panettones and eventually orders reached 700 in less than a month. As a result, I realised that I could not make them the way I wanted to any more.”

Panettone-Selekos_

In fact, the idea was born of distributing the panettones himself in order to change the image that the average consumer has of a chef.

“I wanted to hear the customer’s comments and see that I’m a normal person and not a chef shouting inside the kitchen,” Antonis says.

The 8,000 panettones of 2023

In 2021, thanks to the idea of his partner Anna Dionysiadou, Antonis first opened his shop in Pagrati, where they had initially decided to make only panettone. But because they weren’t sure if that’s all they were going to do at the store, the name given to the shop was ‘Antonis Selekos Conceptual Desserts.’

From 17 December to 7 January, 2021 they sold 1,300 panettones. Twice as much as the first year. In 2022 they reached 4,500 panettones, without making a wholesale sale. Retail only.

We ask him, what is the bet for this year.

“Very timid… This year’s target is 8,000 panettones,” he says.

Panettone-Selekos_
Panettone-Selekos_

I ask him if we will see in the next few years even bigger productions given the great success or if he fears his quality will be affected.

“Obviously I have a fear that quality can be affected if we produce large quantities. I don’t want to do big productions, I prefer to keep the shop as a boutique confectionery and do the best we can,” he answers.

The ‘Everest’ of pastry

Later, I ask Antonis what his own favourite dessert is for the holidays and he answers me immediately.

“I like to eat a tsoureki,” he says.

Many of the readers of The Greek Herald may think reading these lines that the pastry chef will offer a recipe in order to test their pastry skills. I discuss it with him and he tells me something that encapsulates the difficulty that his preparation holds.

“Panettone is the ‘Everest’ of pastry,” he says.

So is it better to get it ready-made?

“I encourage readers to buy it from somewhere from Australia. But I would say they should try to create it to understand how difficult it is. It will not be so good for them, so they will be forced to buy it,” Antonis says.

Panettone-Selekos_
Panettone-Selekos_

With the difficulties he describes, I spontaneously asked him when he was entirely satisfied with a panettone of his own. He began making them in the summer of 2020.

“Just last year [2022],” he answers.

“Even in every preparation we may find something that does not satisfy us. But now there is a constant improvement.”

Antonis has not yet visited Australia, but perhaps this interview with The Greek Herald could prove a good reason for him to travel Down Under. He also has friends in Australia, such as Giannis, who used to work at Funky Gourmet and Alex Xinis, who works with many restaurants in Melbourne and during the quarantine had created “Almost like Yiayias.”

Perhaps Antonis also has an implicit relationship with Australia, since his grandfather’s brother had emigrated to the Antipodes.

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