Flavors and culture in the finale of the 5th ...
The curtain fell on the 5th Piraeus Taste Festival – Sea Food & More with two events that brought Cretan tradition, fl...
Flavors and culture in the finale of the 5th Piraeus Taste Festival
The curtain fell on the 5th Piraeus Taste Festival – Sea Food & More with two events that brought Cretan tradition, flavors, and cinema to two squares in Piraeus. Cretan music, tsikoudia, traditional flavors, creative cooking, and children's cinema shaped the setting of the final weekend.
On Sunday, October 4th, at Karaiskaki Square in Neo Faliro, the "Tsikoudia Festival" had a more traditional character and was based on elements directly linked to the social life of Crete: the raki stills (rakokazana), the shared table, music, and dance. The Mayor of Piraeus, Giannis Moralis, deputy mayors, city councilors, and a large crowd participated in the festival.
At the center of the table and the evening was Cretan gamopilafo, a dish that traditionally accompanies weddings, celebrations, and large family gatherings, carrying with it some of the joy and warmth of these meetups. Along with the tsikoudia, it completed the image of a hospitality culture where food becomes an occasion for conversation, sharing, and celebration.
The music of Manolis Kontaros and his associates set the tone for the rest of the night. Cretan songs drew many of the attendees out of their spectator roles, with dancing and participation gradually becoming part of the event, and the square taking on the feel of a grand Cretan feast. The festival was organized through the cooperation of the Municipality of Piraeus with the Cretan Brotherhood of Piraeus "I OMONOIA," bringing to the city elements of a tradition that remains alive even far from Crete.
The previous day, Saturday, October 3rd, at Eleftheriou Venizelou Square, in front of the Holy Metropolitan Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, "Cinema on the Plate for Children" brought together two beloved family habits: food and cinema.
At the beginning of the event, interest was captured by the cooking presentation of chef Konstantinos Mouzakis, president of the Acropolis Chefs' Club of Attica. The recipe of the day was based on octopus meatballs, paired with yogurt sauce and watermelon. It was a unique meeting of ingredients, balancing the seafood flavor between the freshness of the yogurt and the sweetness of the fruit.
The cooking took place in front of the audience, giving children in particular the opportunity to watch all stages of preparation. For a short time, the square functioned as an open kitchen, where making the food was just as important as the final result. Gastronomy was presented not only as taste but also as a process, experimentation, and playing with different ingredients.
The screening of the movie "Coco" followed. With music and family memory at the core of its story, the film matched the character of an event aimed at children and parents. As cooking gave way to cinema, the public space shifted use once again, this time resembling an outdoor movie theater.
For one weekend, two squares in Piraeus served as meeting points. The first event focused on tradition and the power of music and food to bring a community together, while the second was based on creative cuisine, cinema, and a family outing. Both events highlighted the many stories a dish can tell: from a traditional recipe bound to memory, hospitality, and the shared table, to a modern and unexpected combination of ingredients.
The action is implemented within the framework of the Project "Tourism Promotion of the Municipality of Piraeus" of the "ATTICA 2021-2027" Program and is funded by the Integrated Territorial Investment (O.X.E.) of the Municipality of Piraeus from Resources of the Operational Program "Attica 2021-2027" (NSRF 2021-2027).
