Greek flavors
In fine weather, the arcade housing the Khora restaurant is a veritable shaft of light, bathed in the warmth of winter. After the success of the Peruvian Alma refectory, the Shelter launched its Hellenic alter-ego, a few months before the health crisis. Fans of the ever-trendy Mediterranean cuisine rushed in, thinking they’d find themselves on the beaches of Mykonos. As soon as it opened in September 2019, initial feedback was mixed and opinions diverged, but the novelty of the place nonetheless ensured a full house. Two years and a virus later, where does this representative of Greek gastronomic culture stand? Portrait of an atypical chef who runs the establishment’s kitchens with a master’s hand.
© Restauran Khora
Special Force
Concentrating behind the kitchen pass, Konstantinos Kamperis accumulates lunchtime order forms. At first glance, this charismatic cook appears intimidating, but turns out to be, as is often the case, a tender and endearing character. Forget the fairy tales of grandma’s loving cooking of roast chicken and golden potatoes for a cheerful, convivial Sunday table. For young Konstantinos, his passion for cooking has nothing to do with his family. “I must be the only chef who has no gastronomic childhood memories,” he jokes. The son of divorced parents, he was shunted from home to home with no prospects and no bearings. A paratrooper in the Special Forces, it was military service – compulsory in Greece – that put the rebellious teenager on the right track. “I needed a framework and discipline to get by. If my parents didn’t provide it, the army did.
With no specific career goals in mind, he joined a hotel school not far from Athens, almost by chance. With a hierarchical structure similar in every way to that inculcated in the military world, young Konstantinos became emancipated during his apprenticeship in catering. He learns the trade in earnest behind the stoves of a major American chain. Hygiene standards, standardization, regulations, organization, knowledge of merchandise, stock management… it’s all there. “For me, that’s where it all began.
Edouard Amoiel
English team
The aspiring chef then joined the brigade of the Greek capital’s finest hotel, and discovered a world where the cult of the product and respect for the seasons are at the heart of the profession. In a “
Following in his wife’s professional footsteps, Konstantinos came to Geneva for love. He gained experience on the shores of Lake Geneva before moving into the catering business. “At that point, I started a family that I wanted to see grow. Unlike the parental example I had as a child, I wanted to put my family before my career. I have no regrets, quite the contrary. He took advantage of this period to return to the fundamentals of his homeland’s cuisine. While working during the day, he prepares traditional Greek recipes in the evenings.
Edouard Amoiel
Back to basics
By a stroke of good fortune, in 2019 the Shelter group called on his services as a consultant for the creation of its next Greek concept. The challenge was enormous. But after a few months, the “tzatziki” didn’t take, and the recipes Konstantinos recommended were not followed by the existing brigade. Against all odds, he returned to his first love and took over as head chef of the Khora restaurant. One month later, Covid-19 arrived! “We took advantage of this period of health crisis to reinvent ourselves and offer a new menu with a contemporary identity. We had to rethink everything. At last, we’re a real Greek restaurant where our customers can experience the gastronomic traditions of my country”!
