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Private Chef's Recipes For Success

not limiting. I love it when I see a guest's eyes light up when they How did you choose your line of chef work?
know they can eat a dish I have created for them and it's obvious I liked creating small meals for my friends in college. I made food
they are grateful for it. that we as Greeks eat and educated them that there is more than just
Do you work with clients on menus? gyro sandwiches in Greek cuisine.
Collaboration is essential, especially when allergies or dietary needs Why is it rewarding to you?
are involved. I work closely with clients to understand food allergies I love the feeling of someone taking a bite out of my creation and
(nuts, shellfish, dairy, gluten, etc.), intolerances and sensitivities, and getting a flavor that they’ve never experienced before -- and enjoying
medical or wellness-based diets. My goal is to design menus that it. I try to give them the pulse of Greece and every bite.
feel abundant and satisfying while keeping safety and health at the Do you work with clients on menus?
center. For catering I usually have set menus or popular items that people
Can you share a funny story about your work? order from. If they want something completely customized I will
I do feel clients often think chefs and caterers are magicians and can work with them on the menu, but for smaller events I stick to what
just create something with their restrictions at a snap of a finger, I know sells well.
when there is so much more to it! I wish I could just do an "I Dream What is your favorite food to prepare?
of Jeannie” or “Bewitched” nose twitch and make it happen, but Lamb Yiouvetsi -- tender, slow-cooked, pulled lamb stew with
perfection requires planning. And yes, I just aged myself with this aromatic sources, a blend of red and green peppers, rich tomato wine
answer :-) sauce combined with orzo and topped with grated Kefalograviera
What does the public NOT know about your profession? cheese.
How lonely and exhausting this profession can be. People often Can you share a funny story about your work?
imagine private chefs surrounded by beautiful kitchens, elegant It was a long, busy night at work. I was physically, emotionally and
dinners and constant interaction — but so much of the work mentally exhausted. I was already thinking about the prep work for
happens quietly, behind the scenes. A typical private chef day entails the next day’s service as well. It was the second to last order of the
cooking alone for hours, planning meals in silence, shopping and night and a customer wanted a lamb souvlaki (lamb skewer) cooked
prepping independently, cleaning up after everyone has eaten, medium rare. I pulled a lamb skewer out from the fridge and started
and being present at but not really part of the gathering. When cooking it. While it’s cooking I am checking inventory/preparations
you specialize in wellness-focused cooking — managing allergies, for the next day. I get a little bit distracted and forget about the
dietary restrictions – the responsibility that can feel even heavier. A skewer and tell my other sous chef to get the plate ready so we can
private chef nourishes others, but we often have to remind ourselves send out the order, and we do. I then realized that we ran out of
to be nourished mentally, emotionally and nutritionally as well. lamb skewers an hour ago and I accidentally cooked the customer a
Nick Poulias Cooking runs in his native Greek family; he started pork skewer. A couple minutes go by and the server approaches the
by helping his parents prepare meals at home and watching “tons” window and tells me that the customer wants to congratulate me
of Food Network shows with them. At age 12 his parents opened because it was the best lamb skewer he ever had. At that stage of
a Greek restaurant in Ohio and he was “thrown into a kitchen” as the night I just started laughing. We adjusted the tab to charge the
a dishwasher. He then worked his way up to serving, then cooking. customer the corrected, lower price for pork and eventually told him
Now his business, Pikilia, which means assortment, caters and sells what happened.
popular dishes at farmers’ markets. What does the public NOT know about your profession?
“I never went to culinary school nor did I ever want to,” he says. It’s more than just cooking. It’s negotiating inventory prices,
When visiting family in Greece every summer, I watch them cook managing work schedules, controlling food safety regulations and
what true Greeks are eating. It is very eye-opening. I love the flavor cleaning.
that Greece has to offer, with fresh, authentic, healthy and vibrant
food.

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Life in Naples |April 2026 59