In 2023, at the FNL Best Restaurant Awards, we honoured chef Asterios Koustoudis as Chef of the Year, stating: "This year, we are awarding Asterios Koustoudis, an outstanding chef with diverse talent. He leads the kitchen of the most iconic hotel in Athens, where he presents impressive new projects. At the same time, his quiet activity in countless, significant dinners of international interest contributes to the promotion of the country`s gastronomy at the highest level." Indeed, with every "special" menu he presents—whether for an anniversary, a celebration, or our own iconic events—Asterios Koustoudis reaffirms this accolade and the sentiments expressed in those words!
Thus, in celebration of 150 years of dedication and innovation in gastronomy, the Grande Bretagne Hotel recently introduced the new anniversary menu, "Always Grand|150 Years of Flavours," which will be served until December 31, 2024, at the atmospheric and luxurious Winter Garden. This special menu revives recipes from the `60s and `70s, reminding us of the rich flavours of the urban cuisine of the era which—coincidentally—has seen a resurgence in popularity today. It is my hope that these recipes, together with iconic dishes from the legendary GB Corner and enhanced with selections we’ve showcased in previous memorable Iconic dinners, will find a more permanent residence in this prestigious hotel.
Let me return to the dishes. For the featured image accompanying this article, I chose the stuffed cabbage roll. Not because it was the best photograph, but because it was one of the top three dishes and held significant importance. Why? Simply put, it addresses the question of whether traditional Greek cuisine can aspire to higher gastronomic accolades.
Asterios Koustoudis, inspired by a 1952 recipe book he discovered in the hotel`s archives, has expertly recreated an exceptional stuffed cabbage roll—truly the best I have ever tasted! The recipe and presentation are sophisticated, the flavours are mouthwatering, and the techniques are impeccable, all while embodying deep emotion and nostalgia. This dish will serve as my prime example when people ask how a restaurant serving traditional cuisine can attain two or three FNL stars.
The next standout dish is the vol-au-vent with lobster and a light béchamel. More international or more French, if you prefer, its exuberant and superb at the same time, with deep flavours and incredible textures. This is a dish I "envied" and can`t wait to include in one of our future Iconic dinners. All the options on the menu, however, are excellent: From the cocktail shrimps (successfully called "fountain" in this case) and the Macedonian salad— an elaborate Russian salad with beef tongue—to the fantastic crepes filled with cheese, mushrooms and truffle. The only critique I have is that the iconic Athenian salad could benefit from a touch less mayonnaise; if that were the case, the word "but" would be completely absent from this article.
In the end, the hotel`s pastry chef Alexandros Koufas, suggests, among other things, the nougatine—or rather, THE nougatine. This is the dish that completes my top three favourites. With its rich but gently sweet creams, textures, and flavours, it takes you back to the past and forth to the present, achieving a blend that is both classic, "old-fashioned", and modern at the same time!
Take advantage of this opportunity and book a table at the Winter Garden at the Grande Bretagne by the end of the year.
Info: Grande Bretagne Hotel, 1 Vasileos Georgiou A΄ 1, tel. 2103330000.
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