Panagiotis Tsoukatos learned to appreciate good, homemade food as a child from his mother, an excellent cook who takes great pride in her son’s profession. Panagiotis had a passion to excel and joined the Myconian Collection when Marios Daktylides recognised his talent and offered him a job as head chef at K-hotels. “I was fortunate to work for a man with vision, who believed in me right from the start and gave me the freedom to create. At the beginning of our collaboration in 2010, we were just three people in the kitchen. Today, we are 28, servicing three restaurants as a studied A-team!” As executive chef at the Myconian Kyma Design Hotel, Myconian Korali Relais & Châteaux and the Myconian Naia Luxury Suites, Tsoukatos is passionate about expressing the variety of Mediterranean cuisine through the menus presented by the three hotels. His cooking preserves pure flavours. “I want you to taste everything that went into the dish. I do not believe in the kind of complexity that overpowers what you are eating. I will take a piece of lamb or fish, cook it to perfection and then perhaps glaze it a little; and I will garnish it with fresh aromatic herbs, but the original flavours will remain distinct”. When he isn’t cooking, he travels in search of gastronomic experiences. He recently came back from Lyon, where he was introduced to French techniques at a Relais & Châteaux hotel. At the end of his trip, he spent a few days sampling various creations at Michelin-starred restaurants. “I love good food, whether it is high gastronomy, or an excellent jamón in Barcelona or Madrid.”