Diane Kochilas was our guest on the radio show yesterday. Job titles on her resume are numerous, like Tom. And like Tom she is extremely knowledgeable about food, just hanging around chefs and people who craft it and writing about it.
We had her on the Ask The Chef segment of the show to promote the third season on her PBS series. My Greek Table.
It would be impossible to have a show like this without delving into the special ancient culture that influences all the food: the herbs that grow wild on the hillsides, the dusty roads leading to quaint villages that are hidden gems. She explores such places and does what she referenced so often in our interview - she talks to people.
It is a completely different life from what we are used to, leisurely socializing with others over food and wine. Around the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe, it is a sensual experience. More than what is on the plate, the experience of consuming food is an important aspect of the series. Equal parts travel, the show highlights the history of these places and how that figures into the food.
There are hilltops, there is the sea, there is feta and Greek herbs and above all olive oil. All these things make up a tapestry that will intrigue you as an observer, and entice you to want to experience it yourself.
Diane is an affable steward of her heritage who splits her time between Athens and the States. She spoke to us from Athens, where she is filming. The conversation was so all-encompassing I didn’t want to waste time on a recipe. There are plenty of those, and much else on her addictive website: dianekochilas.com
My Greek Table airs this Sunday, May 24th at 10pm
The WGSO 990 AM radio show airs live 2-4 pm weekdays. Hear the podcast on nomenu.com.
