What does “floutsou” mean? “The sound of the pan when the spaghetti binds with the sauce,” he replies. Floutsou, known as George Theodoropoulos or The Greek Master Chef, has become the “Sakis Rouvas of Greek TikTok.” It sounds corny, but it’s true. During our interview, people shouted at him from cars, stopped him on the street, asked for food recommendations, and even requested selfies and dedications.

We met him at Helliniko Souvlaki, his regular haunt since 1990, the place that made him famous and vice versa. “I’ve been coming here since the first day it opened in 1990. This is where I learned what souvlaki means,” he admits. His Greek Master Chef account has over 160,000 followers, with some videos reaching up to 1 million views. Before becoming a content creator, George was a professional chef. He studied at the School of Tourism Professions in Anavyssos starting in 1999. “Until 2001, I was introverted. We went to class in suits and ties. Then we’d change into the cook’s uniform and feed about 300 people. I finished in 2001, became a soldier, and worked in kitchens across Greece from 2002 to 2022 without holidays or birthdays, just work. Cooking started to tire me out because it’s such a heavy profession. I began thinking about other things I could do but didn’t know what.”

One day, he tried uploading videos on YouTube, which didn’t go well. Instead of giving up, he persevered and tried again on TikTok. “I uploaded a video, it started getting views, then comments came, and I loved the whole experience.” His first viral video, “The Vegan Pizza with Cucumbers,” showcased his humor and brutal presentation. He began making videos in restaurants, and at home, always with humor and sarcasm, “because I like to poke fun at myself and others, but only up to a point.”

Why has he gained so much popularity? “This is how I am in my life. I see others doing what I do, but their online persona is different from reality. I’m genuine, which is why I don’t get tired of my work. If someone says something silly, I’ll say something sillier. I’ve only changed my style once for a sponsored video where I had to be serious. I hated it and promised myself I’d never do it again.”

As I watched him, this benevolent giant (he’s 1.97 meters tall) genuinely enjoyed every moment. He posed, laughed, commented non-stop, talked to people, and ate the props. Before the last question, a fireman stopped his vehicle in the middle of the road to take a video with him. Doesn’t he get tired of being friendly all the time? “At first, when a few people spoke to me on the street, I was excited. It made me feel like I was doing something right and motivated me to do more. Think of a cool idea, shoot another video, and reply to a comment.”