By Frances Atkinson
*Shortly before this edition was printed, Eleni’s Kitchen + Bar was damaged due to arson, the second incident in less than a year. The Westsider hopes the business recovers quickly.
For Eleftheria ‘Thierry’ Amanatidis, food, family and Yarraville are endlessly entwined. In the 1960s, Thierry’s extended family immigrated from Greece to Australia and established several businesses including a delicatessen (now Creative House), pizza place, butcher shop and coffee house.
Today, the legacy continues, with the 28 -year-old Thierry managing three successful businesses in the vibrant pocket in the west: Eleni’s Kitchen + Bar (named after her yiayia Eleni), Jimmy’s Deli (in honour of her grandfather) and Cakes by Thierry, where the aroma of freshly-baked traditional Greek sweets like Portokalopita (orange cake) and Bougatsa (Greek Custard Pastry) tempt passers-by.
Now Thierry has written Ela na Fame! Come and Eat a cookbook full of recipes, family photos, anecdotes and wisdom celebrating and honouring her love of Greek food.
Amongst the 30 plus recipes you’ll find classics like tzatziki, spanakopita, roast lamb, and moussaka, along with ‘secret’ family favourites, including Thierry’s grandfather’s keftedes me saltsa (meatballs with sauce) and yiayia Eleni’s almond shortbread. Thierry said she wanted to create a set of recipes for all skill levels. While it’s a cookbook for all seasons, as the cooler weather approaches, Thierry’s Fakes (lentil soup) and Kotosoupa avgolemono (chicken soup) are the first two on my list to try.
Thierry says the cookbook is made up of “everything we grew up eating.” The book is not only practical (each dish is beautifully photographed), it’s also a moving tribute to the men and women in her life who paved the way for her success. Black and white photos capture backyard celebrations, along with recipes written on scraps of paper. Every recipe is a story, every story honours the impact her heritage has had upon Thierry’s life.
At the recent launch at Eleni’s Bar + Kitchen, a big crowd came to show their support and celebrate Thierry’s achievements, including Maribyrnong’s Lord Mayor Pradeep Tiwari, who said the cookbook was “A tribute to heritage and a love of family.” The event included a six-course dinner prepared by head chef Christos Katopodis and featured several dishes in the books, including tender meatballs in a rich tomato sauce.
While guests enjoyed generous plates of oven baked fish and slow-cooked lamb, Thierry’s older sister Natalie took command of the microphone and skillfully interviewed her sister about her motivation and drive. Thierry credits her ongoing success to the love and support of her family and said that during difficult times, she continues to rely on the wise words of yiayia Eleni “Don’t worry too much, everything will work out. Keep going.”
The idea of sharing is a central theme in the cookbook: sharing food, sharing stories, with the people you care most about in your life. At the launch, many family and friends were moved to tears talking about Thierry’s work ethic and staunch love for her family. One family friend said, “She’s not your usual 28- year-old!”. During the Q&A part of the evening, a guest wanted to know what Thierry had planned for the future, to which she replied, “This is my first cookbook, but it won’t be my last!”
