Get the balance right | Sotiris Contizas | TEDxAthens

"ssenippaH seil nihtiw stnemom fo ssyba." - In a surprising talk, professional chef Sotiris Contizas explains his life pattern to maintain balance in life. Sotiris Kontizas is a renowned chef of Japanese and Greek origin, from his mother and father respectively. Born in Athens (Marousi), he spent his early years in Tokyo and would go on transatlantic journeys from a very young age, a fact that allowed him to familiarize with the flavours and cuisines of different countries. After receiving his BA in Finance from the Panteion University, he worked as a bank employee before deciding to quit and follow his passion for cooking. In 2005, he made his first steps into the culinary world next to Christophoros Peskias in the emblematic "48 the restaurant" only to continue on to "Nobu Matsuhisa Athens" while later on, he became member of the founding team of "ΠΒΟΧ". Next on came Copenhagen and the 3-star "Geranium" (Rasmus Kofoed) as well as the "Studio" (Torsten Vildgaard), all of which finally led him to London's 2-star "The Ledbury" (Brett Graham), featuring in the 27th place on the list of the world's best restaurants. Today, his is the heart and soul of "Nolan" restaurant, which combines the greek and japanese cuisine offering much more than just great food- that is, an outstanding gastronomic experience. At the same time, he is also one of the judges in the cooking television series "Masterchef" for the second season in a row. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx