A new view on local cuisine

In a new venture a well-known local chef is offering tailor made gastronomic experiences. PAUL LAMBIS gets a taste for fine dining

Well-known chef Roddy Damalis’ earliest childhood memories of food find him seated in his mother’s kitchen at a table laden with dishes made with love. The scents, tastes, sounds, textures and colours are closely tied to his recollections, bringing back memories of special occasions, warm feelings, and emotions.

“I have had the privilege of leading a varied and colourful life,” Roddy said. “Travelling extensively around the world, meeting interesting people and getting to know new cultures has been a tremendously exciting and liberating experience.” However, the thread that binds all his memories is food.

As a food-focused individual, Roddy has a string of achievements under his apron. Renowned chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author whose culinary creativity involves taking traditional Greek Cypriot recipes apart and reconstructing them in his own unique way, Roddy has embarked on a new venture that welcomes diners to his stylish home for an intimate and immersive culinary experience.

My View by Roddy Damalis is his latest, one-of-a-kind gastronomical project located in Mongaroulli that sits atop a hill overlooking the Cypriot countryside and the Limassol coastline. “From multi-course dinners and cocktail parties to sumptuous soirées and boozy Sunday lunches on the terrace, I look forward to welcoming you to my home,” he said.

“As a restaurateur, I have been witness to people’s most precious and intimate special occasions. My View is an exciting new chapter that will allow me to do what I do best, on a smaller scale.”

Roddy moved to Cyprus over two decades ago, having run two successful restaurants in South Africa, bringing the island’s flavours and culture to the people of Johannesburg. “I bought my first restaurant at the age of 21, and that was a 10-year success story. My second restaurant, which I bought on a whim, was an instant hit – a contemporary spin on tradition.”

According to Roddy, the most important aspect of running a successful restaurant is the customers. “How they are treated, how their food tastes, and how they feel is imperative,” Roddy added. “I have always been customer-centric: from the moment guests walks through my door, to the moment they leave, the experience needs to be thought through and seamless.”

Back in Cyprus, Roddy decided to stir up the culinary scene by doing what he knows best: stealing hearts through an attractively unusual eatery, a menu laced with quality, and his larger-than-life personality.

After establishing his first restaurant in Cyprus, Ta Piatakia in downtown Limassol, Roddy became one of the island’s most celebrated chefs, using his exemplary customer service as a cornerstone of the ‘Roddy’ experience, garnering many prestigious local and international awards along the way.

“My passion is to take our beloved traditional dishes and breathe new life into them with unexpected combinations that can erupt new and exciting flavours,” he said.

Whether complete novice or cooking enthusiast, Roddy then decided to open his kitchen to his guests by offering informative, fun and frivolous and hands-on cooking workshops. “My workshops are an intrinsic part of my business, especially my connection with people through food.”

His books too, My Little Plates and MY CY, have taken readers on a creative journey showcasing Cyprus’ flavours and cultures. MY CY, though, also reveals Roddy’s philosophy on life and food. “My recipes are immortalised as they are now on paper. This is a part of the legacy that I will leave behind,” he added.

In the wake of the pandemic, Roddy made the decision to close Ta Piatakia, his “gem and universe”, refusing to replace his face-to-face dining experience with a food delivery box on a scooter. “I realised I could take the food, which would be exactly the same product, and package it in a box, however, all the other elements would be missing,” he said. “Any artist that bows out on a high is to be respected.”

Since his break from the restaurant industry over the past year, Roddy has realised that he is nowhere near to hanging his apron up yet. His enticing, one-of-a-kind menu at My View is shaped according to guest preferences, which combines with his unique flair and attentive customer service to make My View by Roddy Damalis one of Cyprus’ most dazzling gastronomic destinations that will most certainly alter your view on Greek Cypriot cuisine.

Watch the full interview on Culturescope on the Cyprus Mail’s Good Living portal