Chef Michalis Marthas speaks to tornosnews about his return to Kalymnos and the creation of “Kapadiko,” a restaurant inspired by sponge diving, memory, and seasonality. After working in top European kitchens, he came back to his island in 2025 to build a culinary project rooted in local identity and contemporary technique.
His cuisine focuses on local products, sustainability, and traditional preservation methods, reinterpreted in a modern way. Dishes such as chickpeas baked with the fish of the day, sponge-based taramasalata, and flavor memories drawn from family cooking express his philosophy.
Marthas believes the next major gastronomic wave will emerge from the Aegean. This vision is reflected in the seminar “Flavors of Kalymnos” (10–12 March 2026), a three-day experiential program for professionals combining cooking, local production, history, and island life. The restaurant “Kapadiko” is expected to reopen in spring, around April–May.
