Captivating stories of renowned figures from various walks of life, each offering a distinct perspective on the tapestry of human experience.
Teddy Santis
Fashion Designer
Born in Queens, New York, to Greek immigrant parents, Teddy Santis was raised amidst the entrepreneurial energy of a family-run diner. His summers spent in Greece instilled in him a deep appreciation for tradition. However, Teddy charted a different course from his family’s path, becoming a designer. He drew inspiration from the amalgamation of his family’s heritage and the vibrant tapestry of New York City. Through his creative journey, Teddy crafted pieces that captured the very essence of the city, weaving together genuine connections and stories. As the creative director and founder of Aimé Leon Dore, a renowned fashion brand nestled in the heart of New York City, Teddy encapsulated the adaptability and ambition that epitomize Queens, all while paying homage to the ever-evolving spirit of the city he holds dear.
When reflecting on his experiences, Teddy Santis mused: “The profound connections and experiences I’ve forged in my journey have provided the foundation for me to create meaningful pieces that serve as a heartfelt tribute to my roots.”
Nikos Roussos
Chef
“Experience is experiential knowledge. A jumble of emotions triggered by wondering about things as well as by intuition. Then follow surprise and delight, and the cycle is complete with a sense of satisfaction and learning. If all this translates into a culinary experience, then it can easily become an unforgettable memory, and an unforgettable memory is an experience. If you happen to be the creator of this memory, the feeling is unique and indescribable. This is also the aim of our restaurants, to try to turn every meal into a special experience for our guests,” says the acclaimed chef and worthy representative of avant garde Greek cuisine born in the legendary Funky Gourmet restaurant and recognized worldwide by means of two Michelin stars. Among the best chefs in the world, Nikos continues to write his own unique culinary stories at his London restaurants, Kima, OPSO, INO and Pittabun, that showcase Modern Greek Gastronomy. Meanwhile, he offers hospitality consultancy worldwide through Consulting Horeca as one of the company’s Co-founders.
Experience is the experiential knowledge. Knowledge that comes from feelings triggered by curiosity and intuition, to be followed by surprise, satisfaction and learning. If this is translated into a culinary experience, then this is how memories are created and I consider unforgettable memories as the best experiences. Being part in creating such experiences is what makes our job so lovely. In our restaurants we aim to make every meal for our guest an experience”, says the acclaimed chef and worthy representative of Avant Garde Greek cuisine, a culinary innovation that was born in the legendary Funky Gourmet restaurant awarded with two Michelin stars. Among the best Chefs in the world, Nikos continues to write his own unique culinary stories of modern Greek food as the executive Chef and co-founder of the London restaurants OPSO, KIMA, INO and Pittabun. Meanwhile, he offers consultancy services in the hospitality industry through Consulting Horeca as one of the company’s co-founders.
Elena Syraka
Jewellery Designer
Behind each individual piece of art jewel by the recognized designer there is a thought, a story, a design inspired by great cultures, especially by Greek culture and Greek art. Elena Syraka started creating jewellery in 1995 and since 2005 she has started working with gold. Her course in the sector has taught her a lot, pushed her to discover new techniques and processes and brought her to incredible results; creative results that she wanted to share with other people. Starting in 1996 this will led her to present them in museum and gallery exhibitions in Greece and abroad, from the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Benaki Museum to the Opera House Yard in Cairo and the Katara Cultural Village Foundation in Qatar. From her own artistic point of view: “experience is knowledge that we never stop acquiring, even more so when the passion and love for what we do grows, as we grow “bigger” over time.” From October 5 to January 2024, the designer will be presenting her jewellery in the group exhibition “ALCHEMIE II – LES VOLUMES BIJOUX D’ARTISTES”, in Paris, Negropontes Galerie.elenasyraka.com
Dimitris & Konstantinos Karampatakis
Architects
Aside from their capacity as architects, the founders of K-Studio tend to focus on the feeling of being in a place and experiencing it with all your senses.
This is a way of thinking beyond the limits and conditions of an architectural shell. “For us, an experience consists of a synthesis of complex, multi-sensory stimuli, all of which are impressed as a memory of the moment and the place in which one is. It is in essence a deeply emotional process of perceiving a series of events, an emotional understanding of the place, etched during our presence in it, and constantly enriched as it passes into the realm of memory. We prefer to say that “form follows emotion”. Moving on to the creative process, we are particularly interested in managing to give character to each place we design, analyzing and taming those particular characteristics that will translate into the user’s experience. We want our works to have a story to tell, acting as a prologue even before you get to visit them, and offer rich stimuli that will activate the senses and be imprinted in the mind, forever engraved in the memories of the users”. k-studio.gr
ΜΟΤΟ: By experiencing the space, we form our personal opinion, which later becomes an aftertaste/memory.
Marios Giannakou
Athlete
Ultra-distance athlete, explorer, life coach and motivational speaker. What could experience mean for the athlete from Drama who has run, among other things, the ‘Lapland Arctic Ultra’, a 500km ultra-marathon in the Arctic, the world’s longest desert ultra-marathon of 270km and a 250km race in the jungle of Central America? He has climbed Mount Olympus carrying on his back Eleftheria, a 22-year-old with mobility issues, helping her fulfill her life’s dream “to see the view of Greece from above”. This year he conquered the highest peak in the world and raised the Greek flag at 8,848 meters on Everest. Each of Mario’s missions is also an unparalleled life experience that has made him even stronger and taught him to never give up. After his last ascent of Everest – a huge challenge for him, since the only mountain he had climbed over the years was Olympus – Marios declared: “On the road called life many will tell you that you cannot succeed, that you are simply not good enough. They will laugh and may make you believe that you really are who they want you to be. The excuses we make in life will always outnumber our goals and we have to take life into our own hands for whichever peak we want to reach.”
