Athens has recently experienced a one-week-long culinary party: a vibrant, cross-cultural series of events titled Merci Chef, which returned triumphantly for its second year. Coordinated by the French Embassy in Greece and the French Institute, this colorful and mouthwatering tribute to French gastronomy drew together nine decorated chefs from France alongside twenty notable Greek and French chefs based here. This year’s edition, ambitious and expansive, offered culinary presentations, tasting events revolving around Greek and French products, and round table discussions addressed at professionals and ordinary food lovers alike.

One event stood out vividly: “The Perfect Match,” an inspired tasting of exceptional breads paired with outstanding wines at Athens’ Academias Hotel. The event was orchestrated by Jean Marie Hoffman, chef at the French Embassy in Greece and the force behind the Merci Chef concept, who in his welcome, informed us that this was a truly progressive initiative and the first time anything like this had been attempted in Greece.

Sommelier Christos Theodoropoulos, renowned Head Sommelier at Athens’ acclaimed Herve restaurant and a contributor to Travel.gr/en teamed up with the expert French baker (with three Michelin stars) Gauthier Denis, celebrated instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and a distinguished member of France’s 2022 Boulangerie World Cup team, and Phaedra Mavroeidi, the visionary and innovative baker behind Line Athens, widely recognized for her inspired reinterpretations of classic Greek baking traditions.

Read more at Travel.gr/en