With both feet firmly planted in the Mediterranean and Austrian food cultures, his thoroughly modern and imaginative cuisine holds two Michelin stars!
Interview: Vana Antonopoulou
With a father from Greece and a mother from Austria, Konstantin Filippou creates a blend of flavors striking a perfect balance between his two heritages. In his eponymously named restaurant in Vienna, he continues to follow his heart and creates a purist, straightforward cuisine characterized by a passion for ingredients as well as an eye for what really matters: the essence of taste. No wonder Konstantin Filippou’s cooking was once again awarded 2 stars in the Michelin Guide 2019, a nod to his unique and multicultural approach to food.
To this brilliant chef, Greek cuisine is synonymous with experimentation and innovation. By molding it into something more personal, with cross-cultural references, frequent improvisation, and rule-breaking choices, Konstantin is creating an exciting, appealing hybrid which is taking stock of the international trends guiding food culture and is investing in the unique quality of Greek produce to get people to re-acquaint themselves with a new age in Greek flavors.
“In terms of food, I see a Greek and, even more, a Mediterranean trend, in general. A cuisine that is full of Mediterranean products, with a lot of heritage and even an oriental twist. In my bistro, for example, I work among many other products with beet root, Trahanas, Fava beans from Santorini; I serve a prawn saganaki—it’s the best-seller on our menu. We even have great Greek wines on our wine list,” he muses.
“I can see, that, whenever people from Greece or the Mediterranean in general are involved in projects centered around food, they turn our really well. You need the Greek heart and soul in order to interpret it well.”
