CREATIVE LONDON: Ioannis Grammenos
- This week we caught up with Meatologist Ioannis Grammenos
- BEFORE WE START, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHAT A MEATOLOGIST IS?
A Meatologist knows how to choose, prepare and cook the perfect steak, an expert in meat so to speak. Last year we launched the first ever School of Meatology at Heliot Steak House, introducing a series of classes throughout the year. In these classes I educate fellow meat lovers on how to cook the perfect steak and prepare the beef, passing on my knowledge.
2. YOU NOW HEAD UP HELIOT STEAK HOUSE, WHICH SITS WITHIN THE WORLD-FAMOUS HIPPODROME CASINO. CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS A BIT MORE ABOUT THE VENUE?
The Hippodrome Casino has been many things over the past 200 years – a theatre, a live music venue and a circus. Nowadays it’s a family operated casino with 5 floors of gaming and entertainment employing 750 staff serving 35,000 guests a week. The casino boasts 8 bars, an award winning steak house and a theatre which is currently hosting the Magic Mike Live show, which is residing with us for the next few years.
We serve 3,000 diners per week, as well as 3,500 meals for our hungry team, it’s a huge operation! It really is an amazing place to spend your day or night as there are so many things to do, from Heliot Steak House which overlooks the casino floor, Lola’s show in the basement, to the new and exciting Boozy Tea Room(created by the team behind Magic Mike).
3. SO, YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY REALLY INTO YOUR MEAT, AND FOOD IN GENERAL! WHERE DID THIS GREAT LOVE STEM FROM?
It all comes from my family and our love of cooking and eating together around a big table, back in my home town of Corfu, under our 150 year old olive trees in the garden.
From a very young age, I tried to be involved in the cooking process. My family noticed that and they tried to teach me as much as they could. My grandpa taught me about respecting the livestock and how to pick mushrooms and herbs in the forest, my grandma taught me how to make filo pastry and pies, my mum taught me how to cook with quality and finally my father pushed me to study hard.
4. WHERE IN LONDON WOULD YOU SUGGEST OUR READERS HEAD TO BUY THEIR OWN STEAK MEAT WHEN COOKING AT HOME?
One of the best places to go and buy your meat is Smithfield market, an extraordinary place where you can see everything to do with livestock and of course a source for very good quality meat.
If you don’t have time to visit the market and you like the convenience of shopping online you can visit Tom Hixson’s online shop. Tom is a fourth generation butcher with the best steak in the market, sourced from all over the world.
We are working exclusively with Tom Hixson on our new, bi-monthly Steak Club by the School of Meatology. Each dinner will be themed around a specific region, and the first dinner will be celebrating English, Irish and Scottish beef and lamb, on June 12th 2019.
5. WHATS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN?
Nothing is given! You need to work hard to achieve your dreams.
6. WHAT WOULD YOU PERFECT LAZY SUNDAY IN LONDON LOOK LIKE?
The perfect lazy Sunday starts on Saturday – wake up early to buy some flowers and head to the market to buy rib eye, sirloin and vegetables. Wake up late on the Sunday and have a nice coffee and breakfast, invite your family and friends round, marinate the rib eye and sirloin with Greek honey from Corfu, herbs from my urban garden and garlic –‘ the king of the kitchen’. Light the grill and cook the meat and vegetables with lemon and orange peel mixed together.
Set up your table outside for a beautiful lunch, with a glass of chilled wine and get your friends to do the dishes!! This is how a lazy Sunday should be.
Follow me on Instagram to see what I’m up to @meatologist_ioannis_grammenos_
