Greek chefs give democracy forum guests a taste of filoxenia

"Wow! What is this?" a young American woman asked chef Lefteris Lazarou after taking her first bite of velvety mashed Naxos potatoes with smoked eel and truffle oil.

Hers were not the only exclamations of delight to be heard around the atrium of the Zappeion Mansion on Wednesday night, at the welcome dinner organized by Kathimerini and its Gastronomos food magazine for the guests of the fifth Athens Democracy Forum.

Praise was heaped on the six distinguished Greek chefs, some of them boasting Michelin stars, who had prepared three dishes each that earned the approval of some very demanding palates. They were Lazarou, of Varoulko fame, Nena Ismyrnoglou, Christoforos Peskias, Asterios Koustoudis, Evdokia Fylakouri and pastry chef Stelios Parliaros.

The Athens Democracy Forum, organized jointly by The New York Times, the United Nations Democracy Fund and Kathimerini,...