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Monaška kuhinja
je povezana sa
mediteranskom, kaže
monah Epifanios
koji promoviše svoju
kuhinju u prestižnim
evropskim restoranima
e
The monastic kitchen
is connected to the
Mediterranean, says
Monk Epifanios, who
promoteshis kitchen in
prestigious European
restaurants
e
Epifanios of Mylopotamos
is one of around 2,500 Orthodox
monks living in the Autonomous
Monastic State of the Holy
Mountain, the peninsula jutting
50km into the Aegean Sea from
Halkidiki in northern Greece.
Most people know the area
simply as Mount Athos, after the
mountain whose rocky summit,
at 2,030m above sea level, domi-
nates the surrounding landscape.
On its upper reaches you can still
see cells where hermits long ago
began praying in isolation.
”Mount Athos has a long
history and a big tradition. Many
monks have lived here over the
years and some are celebrated as
saints, which is very important to
us,” explains the 59-year-old Epi-
fanios, who was aged 18 when he
joined one of the 20 monasteries
still active today. Those monas-
teries are surrounded by thick
stone walls reminiscent of castles,
a legacy of the threats faced dur-
ing the Middle Ages when tales
of their wealth attracted raiders,
from Europe and beyond, intent
on pillaging.
Epifanios lives within My-
lopotamos, a clifftop
skete
, an
outlying community affiliated to
the Great Lavra Monastery, over-
looking the sea. Mylopotamos
was in a state of severe disrepair
when he transferred here, back in
1990. One of his first tasks was to
undertake essential renovations
and to restore the stone tower,
which was then badly damaged.
In 2008 the monk reintroduced
viniculture to the region after
Phylloxera, a pest affecting the
roots of grapevines, destroyed
local wine making in during
World War Two. 4.5 hectares of
well-tended, organic vines now
flourish on the lower slopes of
Mount Athos.
Though first and foremost a
monk Epifanios has developed a
passion for cooking and is today
recognised as successful chef. He
has popularised regional recipes
in his book,
The Cuisine of the
Holy Mountain Athos
and tours
Europe to give cookery demonstra-
tions, including at Jamie Oliver’s
Recipease in Notting Hill, London.
With many monks living beyond
90 years of age, the food served on
Mount Athos is regarded as among
the healthiest in the world.
”Monastic cuisine is directly
related to Mediterranean cuisine,” he
explains passionately. The meals he
serves are based on fresh fish and
