The sea, memories and flavours of Kalymnos lie at the heart of “ViΩMA – SEA • TIME • TRANSFORMATION,” the new bilingual publication by Chef Michalis Marthas, released in Greece and Cyprus in September 2026 by Gastronomy Essentials.
Spanning nearly 290 pages, the book is far more than a collection of recipes. It captures a personal and professional culinary journey that begins in Kalymnos and the island’s deep connection with the sea, before evolving into a contemporary and creative interpretation of Greek cuisine.
Sea, time and transformation
Three central ideas run through the publication: sea, time and transformation.
The sea is presented not merely as a source of ingredients, but also as a place of memory, culture and human stories. Time becomes an essential tool for ageing, fermentation and preservation, while transformation represents the creative process through which an ingredient takes on a new form and flavour.
Combining traditional references and personal experiences from Kalymnos with the techniques of the modern professional kitchen, “ViΩMA” builds a bridge between past and present. Greek gastronomy emerges not as a fixed collection of inherited recipes, but as a living field of knowledge, evolution and creativity.
A book of knowledge and creativity
Organised into six thematic sections, the book features 46 complete recipes, more than 100 professional base preparations, fish-ageing and preservation techniques, garums, fermentations, extractions and contemporary fine-dining applications.
Its distinctive creations include Artichoke-Style Flying Squid, Chickpea Stew with Aged Bonito, Monkfish Liver Pâté, Beetroot Panna Cotta with Smoked Herring Roe, Tuna ’Nduja and Amberjack Coppa.
The publication is primarily aimed at chefs and hospitality professionals seeking technical knowledge and new ways of working with ingredients. At the same time, it speaks to a wider readership with an appreciation for Greece, its islands, its culture and its culinary heritage.
Published in both Greek and English, “ViΩMA” brings Greece’s maritime culinary tradition — and the distinctive identity of Kalymnos — to a broader international audience.
Standard and collector’s editions
“ViΩMA” is available as a Standard Edition and as a Collector’s Luxury Box limited to 100 numbered copies. Alongside the numbered book, the collector’s edition contains objects inspired by its world and by Kalymnos, including a natural sea sponge, sea salt, professional plating tweezers, an apron and handwritten notes by the chef.
Both editions are available through selected bookshops and online from Gastronomy Essentials.
Ultimately, “ViΩMA” is more than a culinary publication. It is a story that begins in Kalymnos and the sea, passes through time and is transformed into flavour — carrying an authentic part of the island’s identity beyond Greece’s borders.
More information: cucina.gr
