MEET GEORGIOS SPANDOS

SOUTH COAST

Fascinated by the idea of bringing people together around a table in a spirit of togetherness, Chef Georgios Spandos decided at a very young age to make a career of his passion for cooking. At his restaurant in Grand Anse, the Chef successfully blends the influences of his native Greece and of Reunion Island to create a unique culinary experience inspired by local products and the beauty of nature.

A culinary voyage from Greece to Reunion

Since starting out as a commis chef at the Funky Gourmet, Georgios travelled a long path that led him to a prestigious restaurant in Athens boasting two Michelin stars. He then perfected his art in Cyprus at the Adams Beach Hotel, before going to Belgium to work at the Michelin-starred restaurant Terborght. There, he developed his own culinary style, guided by a passion for the best local products that he aimed to showcase in his cuisine. Georgios will tell you that one of the most decisive moments of his career was meeting Yves Mattagne, a chef who had a profound influence on him and eagerly took him on as a line chef at Sea Grill, his 2-star restaurant in Brussels. This experience enhanced his range of culinary skills and strengthened his desire to create his own uninhibited style of cuisine.

In 2014, Georgios came to Reunion Island, the Palm Hotel & Spa to be precise, in the island’s wild south. There, he spent 8 years as an assistant chef before opening his own restaurant, L’Epoca. The island’s amazing scenery of mineral landscapes and beautiful seascapes instantly appealed to him. This exceptional setting became a key source of inspiration for his dishes that enhance the rich culinary heritage of Reunion Island through fresh ingredients, fish from the catch and seasonal local vegetables.

Uninhibited, local cuisine

Chef Georgios Spandos has a pure style of cooking that is experimental and uninhibited, flouting the conventions of traditional gourmet cuisine or bistro food… His experience of the Mediterranean and the geographical location of his restaurant in Grande Anse have led him naturally to specialise in seafood. His signature dish is based on fish from the local catch, and the beauty of Reunion Island inspires him to create dishes that showcase the local products and soils. He gives pride of place to fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, and fish from the coasts of Reunion take priority over meat. His vegetables come from local farmers in his quest to strike a balance of flavours but also a contrast between the different textures.

An invitation to travel and to share

In his cooking, this chef attaches as much importance to the presentation of his dishes as to the design of the menu, showcasing the product and, in a way, honouring not only the ingredients themselves but also the work of the farmers and producers who supply them. To him, the concept behind the Epoca restaurant is to offer a culinary experience that reflects his passion for gastronomy and invites diners to enjoy their meal in a pleasant atmosphere while admiring the scenery of southern Reunion. In other words, to offer ‘an invitation to travel and to share’.