2023-11-25 12:24:00
On Avenue Louise, not far from the gardens of Abbaye de la Cambre, The Avenue, the restaurant of the Barsey by Warwick hotel offers a menu with sunny accents. Originally from Greece, its chef, Nicholas Tsiknakos, shares his cuisine with Mediterranean influences.
After a hotel school in Athens, he spent many years in Switzerland and trained with renowned chefs like Anton Mosimann. Always looking for challenges, Nicholas Tsiknakos has participated in numerous international competitions. He was also crowned Best Worker in Switzerland in 2005, Golden Chef of the Year in 2008 in Greece and he obtained a Michelin star. His professional career has also led him to work in Italy, Dubai, Morocco, Spain…
And so it is in Belgium that he has been officiating for twelve years. First in Manos hotels then now at The Avenue restaurant.
Share your childhood tastes
His cuisine is obviously inspired by his origins and the different places where he has lived. “At first, Belgian customers were a little reluctant,” he explains. “They were afraid to change their habits. But now, especially since Covid, they are more open, they appreciate this mix and trust me. is a way of traveling, of undertaking a little adventure. I like to introduce people to the tastes that I knew in my childhood.”
On the menu, we find a lot of vegetables (vegetarians will therefore find a wide assortment), typical dishes and revisited classics of Belgian gastronomy. For the moment, we can notably mention the wild prawns with kadaif, served with an avocado tzatziki, a Santorini fava (a spread of split peas) or even a tarama, whose recipe comes from his mother and which the customers are invited to share.
Barbecues on the terrace in the summer
In addition to starters, fish, meats, salads, pastas and desserts, the chef offers preludes served for the whole table. “It’s very common in Greece, in Italy, in Spain. It’s the pleasure of bringing people together and being together.”
The chef is indeed keen to give his customers confidence, so that they feel at home. “I wanted a personal signature, to bring warmth. Some customers have become friends and come regularly.”
In the same spirit of conviviality, Nicholas Tsiknakos likes to involve his guests. He therefore listens to their desires to compose his menu, taking into account the seasonality of the products. He also enjoys spending time with them. In summer, on the green terrace, he sits behind the barbecue and cooks among the tables.
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