Chef Vasiliki Alexiou was born in Ioannina in 1976 and discovered her passion for cooking as a child. At the age of eight, she cooked her first full dish — a successful moussaka — marking the beginning of a lifelong love affair with gastronomy. Although she initially pursued a career in accounting, her creative spirit led her to study culinary arts at IEK Ioannina at the age of 26.
Encouraged by her instructors to pursue cooking professionally, she began her culinary journey in a 5-star hotel in Zagorochoria, later moving on to restaurants in Igoumenitsa. In 2015, she made a turning point decision to join the prestigious Assyrtico Restaurant in Santorini, working alongside renowned chef Nikos Pouliasis (Koukoumavlos).
Their five-year collaboration served as a professional and artistic baptism, providing her with the confidence and experience to evolve her own culinary style — rooted in pure ingredients, traditional inspiration, and refined creativity. Today, Chef Alexiou considers Santorini her true home, offering high-level cuisine with love, authenticity, and imagination.
To be continued in the upcoming issue of Santorini Life Magazine…
