TASTE OF ATHENS 2019: SHAPING THE ATTRACTIVE POWER OF FOOD IN GREECE’S CAPITAL CITY

What are the benefits for up and running destinations when Taste Festivals, the largest and most important international platform of culinary festivals, becomes a dominant influence on the local gastronomic scene? 

Being the official licensee of Taste of Athens over a 5-year period, Toposophy has gained a great deal of experience about the value created through synergies and the introduction - implementation of innovative concepts.

Our take from Taste of Athens 2019 is buoyant and a record of delightful moments. From 19 to 22 September, the 2nd Taste of Athens transported the representatives of the top 14 Athenian restaurants - some of them Michelin-starred - to the emblematic area of the Zappeion Megaron.



For those who love gastronomy and fine drinking, these restaurants and their celebrity chefs arguably have the talent and skills to create a unique, integrated experience. They do so while serving guests with high quality dishes within their pop-up kiosks, sharing their culinary secrets with the public during inspirational lectures and live demonstrations of special dishes, and while setting the wider scene for a series of high-end food and drink brands to interact with numerous visitors.

From the destination’s point of view, the blend of fascinating weather, spectacular sites and unforgettable flavors in a 4-day event is a promise for the shoulder season. Athens has completed a 7-year period of steady to high growth performance, but the tourism sector is always keen for projects and initiatives that can extend the season. Hence, Taste of Athens is highly appraised by key stakeholders (e.g. City of Athens, Aegean Airlines, Athens International Airport, Marketing Greece), with some of them also being included in the long list of the festival’s 30+ sponsors, suppliers and exhibitors. 

Consumers and visitors, in addition, are increasingly aware of Athens’s high-quality restaurants. For them, Taste of Athens is a second to none opportunity to enrich their memorable visits to the city’s cultural monuments and museums with a hands-on experience of contemporary heritage. An experience which is derived from the combination of several different cuisine styles from Greece, Europe and other regions. 

 

Food tourists, in particular, who are already a key segment among international visitor in Athens, have now another reason to celebrate given the wide portfolio of gastronomy events curated by Toposophy. More than 10,000 foodies visited Taste of Athens 2019 and they are now fully aware of additional opportunities to delve into the city’s gastronomic scene. 

• Athens is one among 10 international metropoles where Taste Dining Experiences, a series of unmissable one-off dining experiences, chef and cocktail collaborations take place throughout the year in partnership with the hottest restaurants across the world.
• Toposophy also curates Dine Athens Restaurant Week by Alpha Bank: the top event for local and international foodies to find +120 gourmet restaurants providing for 2 weeks a selection of lunch and dinner menus at discounted prices in parallel with a series of fascinating happenings (e.g. global stars chef nights, celebrity chef dining experiences, wine tasting journeys, cooking masterclasses) for limited numbers of enthusiasts.

We would like to thank those who are the quintessence of the festival's philosophy, Diners Club International and World Class Fine Drinking as well as the fourteen leading restaurants and their chefs for their involvement and support.

We would also like to thank the visitors who enjoyed this year's second Taste of Athens and whose active participation and impressions encourage us to evolve and inspire us even further to organize the next festivals.

We renew our appointment for next year with more promises, even more flavors, surprises and gastronomic delights! Stay tuned for Taste of Athens 2020.