GASTRONOMY | CHEFS IN ACTION
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MAKING T E XT Y I O TA M A L L A S
T H E C U L I N A R Y R E P E R T O I R E O F T H E A M AT H U S I S T E S TA M E N T T O T H E E V O L U T I O N O F TA S T E A N D T H E C R E AT I V E P R O C E S S T H AT P R E C E D E S E A C H G A S T R O N O M I C N O V E LT Y.
Change is a vital aspect of innovation, and Amathus restaurants abide by this principle every year by bringing new flavours to the table. Creating a shortlist of new dishes is an annual ritual: “What the guest experiences over the course of a memorable meal is the culmination of months of preparation,” says Marinos Shiaxates, Sales and Marketing Manager. Menu development is a process of ideas, experimentation and evaluation that is repeated until the recipes are perfected. George Georgiou, Assistant General Manager, refers to this journey as ‘menu innovation’. “Our new signature dishes are designed and constructed piece by piece until ready for exhibition.” This reflects the hotel’s philosophy of delivering the utmost satisfaction to every guest’s palate. “Our priority is to respond to our clients’ highest taste expectations while developing the creativity of our culinary professionals,” says George.
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The inception of new dishes involves a panel of hotel staff that devises new gastronomic possibilities. The team consists of the General and Assistant General Managers together with the Executive Chef and the respective chefs of each restaurant on site. After presenting new ideas, recipes are drafted and tested. The panel then judges the flavours in a series of tasting sessions before selecting the final cut. Effective menu design is also about mastering the balance between customer preferences and the chef’s creative direction. “Our aim is for our guests to love what we create, and when it comes to our guests’ preferences, we have our finger on the pulse,” says George. “The restaurant hosts speak to our visitors on a daily basis with every meal served. Their comments and suggestions feed our culinary imagination.” Customer feedback is always welcome, as a means of keeping their menus current, popular and unique.
