At the new CoastMed Restaurant in Hersonissos, three little words are all that's needed to express its view on food: Fresh fish fusion. And, nowhere have "three little words" meant so much.

"Everything on our menu, especially our fresh fish and shellfish dishes, is prepared according to our own fusion-inspired recipes," explained the restaurant's owner and guiding force, Emmanuel (Manos) Gerokostas. "We combine certain spices and ingredients from other countries to give a unique taste to some otherwise familiar dishes."

Chef Thanasis (left) and host Manos

When Mr. Gerokostas, and his head chef, Thanasis Manos, speak about "ingredients from other countries," they aren't just quoting from some foreign cook book; they both have been trained at prestigious hotel and catering institutes in Switzerland and have hands-on experiences working in some of the finest restaurants around the world.

Born in Athens, Mr. Gerokostas traveled to many different countries before completing his formal education in Hong Kong. From there, his life-long interest in catering took him to Switzerland where he studied hotel management and catering at the famous Glion Institute. After graduation, he set off to compile a resume that would be sure to impress André Michelin himself.   

“My initial training period was for a restaurant in Geneva, and then as a cook for a restaurant in Thailand,” Mr. Gerokostas said. “Once I had the necessary basic experience, I was able to attain positions as food and beverage manager for some of the big hotels, like the Ritz Carlton in Virginia and the Marriott group in Beijing. It was an invaluable experience, working with some of the best chefs in so many different countries.”

About a year ago, Mr. Gerokostas, 28, felt that the time was right to put his years of training and experiences to work for himself. Since he always had an affinity with Crete (his mother is from Iraklion), he returned to the island and began looking for the perfect venue.