Greek Australian receives SA Best Patisserie Award

Greek Australian pastry chef George Diakomichalis made us all proud last Monday 13 September as he received the Best Patisserie in South Australia (2021) award for his Greek patisserie, known as Kalymnos Pastries.

Based in Torrensville, Kalymnos Pastries took home the award in the patisserie, bakery, and dessert bar category.

“Being proud, passionate and consistent in what you love doing and being recognised by your peers over a 26-plus year period creates an expectation within,” Mr Diakomichalis told Neos Kosmos following the awards ceremony.

“Along with my champion team, we proudly take this pressure and use it as fuel and inspiration to keep up the level of service and quality that our customers deserve. The fact that we represent our Greek Culture as proud South Australians is a bonus. Champion teams are created by strong individuals who respect each other enough to protect a common goal,” added Mr Diakomichalis who completed his pastry chef training in Kalymnos, before returning to Australia and setting up his business in Adelaide in 1995.

George was taught the art of patisserie by his great grandfather, his grandfather and his two uncles who opened the first pastry shop in Kalymnos in 1918.

“These men were the ones that made me fall in love with the job and gave me the courage to set up my own business here in Australia and give people the opportunity to enjoy traditional Greek food and pastries on the other side of the world,” said George who together with his wife Eleni, run one of the most successful Greek businesses in the country.

Kalymnos Pastries, who had already been awarded Best Patisserie in Australia for 2019, has earned the opportunity to represent South Australia in the National Restaurant and Catering business awards.

“Our goal is to keep traditional Greek recipes alive and to inspire younger people, to keep our Hellenic culture alive in a country that has embraced us and allowed us to enjoy, maintain and celebrate our Greekness,” concluded George.

Iconic Greek restaurant Estia, owned by 82-year-old early Greek Australian Kyriakos Mavridis, was awarded Best Greek Restaurant in SA for 2021.

neoskosmos.com