Browsing Tag Cover Story
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16 April 2026 at 21 : 44 PM
The Man Behind “America’s Most Patriotic Diner”
COVER STORY For Gus Tsiorvas and the Embassy Diner, first responders are family. By Michael Kaminer Gus Tsiorvas, his wife Ann, and three children, Grace, Emma and Panagiotis. You could say Gus Tsiorvas has three families. The first is his kin: His father, Peter, a Greek immigrant “who taught me everything.” His mother, ...
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15 March 2026 at 17 : 20 PM
Beyond Blue and White
COVER STORY Next-gen restaurant designs offer a cool, confident take on tradition. By Michael Kaminer Even for consumers with zero knowledge of Hellenic culture, blue and white signifies Greece. As a result, Greek restaurants have mimicked the galanólefki—the Greek flag—as an easy way to telegraph their menus. But a new generation of ...
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15 February 2026 at 19 : 14 PM
Estiator’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree: Stamatis Bililis
Estiator’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree: STAMATIS BILILIS COVER STORY By Eleni Mavria We are proud to introduce a yearly tradition every February of recognizing a Greek-American restaurateur for his years of success and longevity in the business with a Lifetime Achievement Honor. This year, we have ...
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15 January 2026 at 19 : 37 PM
Watch These Trends
COVER STORY Little luxuries and giant flavors will shape menus in 2026. By Michael Kaminer Boot up your AI agents, welcome the flexitarians, crank up dipping sauces, zhuzh up your textures, and “freak up” your salads. ’Tis the season when forecasters dig into data, surveys, and consumer sentiment—and maybe consult an oracle or two—to ...
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14 December 2025 at 12 : 38 PM
Carnegie Hospitality Is Unstoppable
COVER STORY Blending tradition and innovation, Stathis Antonakopoulos builds restaurant brands for the future. By Michael Kaminer As this issue was going to press, news broke that Stathis Antonakopoulos’ Carnegie Hospitality was opening its first location in lower Manhattan—an 8,450-square-foot space that will span an entire city block at ...
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12 October 2025 at 17 : 19 PM
This “Grecian Corner” Is a Local Treasure
COVER STORY Angelo Ballas builds on a family legacy in Winston-Salem. By Michael Kaminer When a local public radio station decided to explore the history of Winston-Salem, North Carolina’s sizeable Greek population, its reporter chose to tell the story through the experience of Angelo Ballas. It was a smart choice. Ballas’ restaurant, ...
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10 September 2025 at 15 : 37 PM
From Trademarks to Asset Protection: IX Legal’s Mission to Protect Hospitality Operators at Every Turn
COVER STORY Why restaurateurs across New York, New Jersey—and beyond—are turning to IX Legal for trusted counsel on compliance, employee handbooks, asset protection, discrimination claims, wage lawsuits, and much more. From beloved diners and family-run cafés to high-end lounges, hotels, nightclubs, and multi-location restaurant groups, the ...
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15 August 2025 at 19 : 47 PM
All Hail the Queen
COVER STORY Chopped alum Alexandra Velis Jones rules with Portland’s Souvlaki Queen. By Michael Kaminer Even before they see her tightly edited menu or taste the beautifully prepared food, customers sense something’s different at Souvlaki Queen, the compact shop that chef Alexandra Velis Jones opened in May in Portland, ...
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14 July 2025 at 14 : 03 PM
A Portrait of Dimitris Diamantopoulos
COVER STORY The long-established restaurateur and Renaissance man knows the best is yet to come. By Marianna Stephanou “A name is a story.” If you know Dimitris Diamantopoulos— “Jimmy,” as many call him—you already know: He is kind, generous, and never without a smile. He embodies what it means to be a wonderful person. ...
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9 June 2025 at 14 : 48 PM
A Greek “Pirate” Shares His Success Story
After 50 years in restaurants, Theofanis Kakouras is on top of his game. By Michael Kaminer COVER STORY In the 1982 epic Fitzcarraldo, Klaus Kinski drags a steamship across the jungle, losing his mind in the process. Theofanis Kakouras also brought a big boat to an unlikely place, but his story turned out differently. Pirates Landing ...
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