As with most Mediterranean countries, agriculture in Greece is dominated by arable farming, with fruit and vegetable production taking up the major part of its available farmland (462,000 hectares, i.e. 13.3% of cultivated land and 27.7% of farm production in terms of value). In fact, the Greeks are the world's second-ranked consumers of vegetables (245 kg/per person/per year) after the Chinese. Its ideal climate allows Greek farmers to produce a highly diversified range of produce. At European level, Greece is the 3rd-ranked producer of citrus fruits (1.6 million tonnes) and vegetables (nearly 4 million tonnes), and 5th-ranked producer of fruits in general (3.7 million tonnes).

Olive oil, "liquid gold" as Homer is reputed to have said, forms the basis of Greek cuisine. Greece is famous for its olive groves, which thrive in hot, arid climates. It has been cultivating olives since the dawn of history (the very first olive tree was supposedly planted in Greece) and, today, the country has over 160 million olive trees, supplying 420,000 tonnes of olive oil and 100,000 tonnes of table olives (annual consumption exceeds 20 kg/per person/per year).

The sea and its products have had a major influence on Greek cuisine since Ancient times. The fishing industry goes back thousands of years in the land of Aeschylus. With 4,000 kms of coastline surrounding its continental territory, and over 11,000 kms surrounding its many islands, Greece offers fishing companies ideal conditions. The number of seafood species fished has been estimated at around 250. Some 160,000 tonnes of fish and seafood is landed each year, 90% of which is taken from the Aegean Sea. The main species fished include sardines, anchovies, sea bream, sea bass and Mediterranean mussels.

Meat does not form a significant part of the Greek diet due to the country's lack of suitable pasture land. Generally speaking, you won't find much meat in the Greek diet, excluding certain national dishes such as "moussaka" (lamb and aubergine) or "pastitsio" (lamb and pasta). There is only limited beef production, and beef imports are rising in consequence. Pork, however, is found more often in charcuterie-based dishes such as "pihti" (orange-flavoured pig's head terrine served with vinaigrette) or "loukanika" (spiced pork and beef sausage), pork soup "xinochondros" (ground wheat with curdled milk).

Greek cheeses, usually made with goat or ewe's milk, are found on every Greek table, from starter to dessert. The most well-known and popular of them is feta. This cheese, made either with pure ewe's milk or a mixture of ewe/goat milk, is a curd cheese left to soak in brine from between three to several months. Traditionally-produced feta is stored in oak barrels and sold in large, irregular-shaped blocks, whereas the industrially produced version is sold in 2-kg vacuum-sealed packets. With over 130,000 tonnes per year, Greece is the leading producer of feta cheese. Other Greek cheeses include: - graviera: cylindrical Cretan ewe's milk cheese, lightly flavoured with chilli pepper, slightly reminiscent of parmesan with its hard, grainy paste. - kasseri: similar to cheddar; can be grilled or fried,

Greece is steeped in the tradition of wine making (ranked 6th European producer and 13th worldwide). The wine that immediately comes to most people's minds is retsina (light white or rosé wine whose characteristic taste results from the addition of pine resin during the fermentation phase). The best retsinas come from Attiki, in Egine (Peloponnese), and should be drunk very cold. The main selections of Greek wines include: Aghiorghitiko (from the Néméa region, garnet red, robust and full bodied with a long finish), Assyrtiko (a fruity, dry white 13°), Athiri (dry white, light and supple flavour), Kotsifali (rounded dark red), Mavrodaphné (heavy, sweet wine, the perfect accompaniment for a dessert), Moschofilero (light dry white), Robola (golden dry white), and many others.

The Greeks have an inordinate love of sweets containing honey, nuts and sesame seeds. They have a particular liking for simple desserts based on fresh fruits such as "yaourti kai méli" (yoghurt and honey, with chopped pistachio nuts, almonds or walnuts). Ice creams and sorbets are also very popular. The most popular patisseries include almond biscuits (kourambiédes), honey roasted figs (sika fournou me méli), orange and walnut cake (melomakarona), honey syrup fritters (loukoumades), walnut-based patisseries (baklavas), and semolina and almond cake (halvas). Greek specialities include stuffed vine leaves (dolmades, made with rice or whole, small fish), mezze (starters) accompanied by pitta bread (a large, soft, flat, rounded bread), tarama (pureed cod's roe - salted mullet roe was used in earlier times), hummous kai tahini (chickpea puree), tzatziki (yoghurt and cucumber, which forms the basic mezze dish) Coffee is the quintessential Greek drink.

Andreas Mavrommatis
(Head chef - restaurateur and caterer - Paris and Cyprus)

«I arrived in France in 1977 to study humanities, later learning the catering trade in 1984 at Lenôtre. Having gained this invaluable experience, I, and my two brothers, went on to set up ten catering establishments, including four restaurants, five food shops and one food laboratory, with, in particular, outlets at the Lafayette Gourmet and the Palais de Congrès. My goal was to offer creative Greek cuisine in order to showcase the exceptional regions and products of Greece, where cuisine is an integral part of the culture. I take original recipes and shape them to fit today's tastes. The arrival of several new names in the world of Greek chefs has heralded a revolution in contemporary Greek gastronomy over these last few years. Although Greek cuisine has never ceased to evolve since Ancient times, it has always remained original and true to its roots, and is characterised by its sweet-tasting dishes, rich heritage and worldwide renown.

Vassilis Montevelis
(Greek caterer - Paris)

«We use traditional methods to prepare fresh Greek food, which we sell to Greek caterers, restaurateurs and private individuals. Our shop has health and safety approval and offers a range of fifty or so products, all prepared according to the season. To get a good idea of what Greek cuisine has to offer, it is essential to taste authentic products such as tarama, tzatziki, aubergine caviar, octopus and squid, and so on, accompanied by a good retsina or ouzo. I have noticed recently that Greek cuisine is making a marked comeback due to the trend for simple quality foods. Greek cuisine is continually evolving, and was partly responsible for shaping the origins of French cuisine...».

Dimitrios Kalantzakis
(Managing Director of Produits de Grèce - Rungis)

«We deal in exports, with a range of Greek products that boasts some 150 product references. Our customer base mainly comprises restaurateurs, caterers and grocers, half of which are Greek. The Greek cuisine offered in France is relatively classic and based on dishes such moussaka, meatballs, stuffed cabbage and stuffed vine leaves, among others) while true Greek cuisine is generally based on steam-cooked food (vegetables, fish, etc.) and olive oil. It is a cuisine steeped in a rich heritage that arrived in France at the end of the First World War. Greek cuisine still offers an exciting voyage of discovery...».