>> MARIA LOI: Yassou.

When most people think of Greece, they think of Athens, of course, the birthplace of democracy.

I want to share with you a part of Athens you may not know, the culinary scene where the Athenians go.

There is no better place to dine than under the light of the Acropolis.

Let me show you.

It's all happening now on The Life of Loi.

♪ ♪ I am Maria Loi, executive chef of Loi Estiatorio in Manhattan.

When I was growing up in Thermo, a small village in Greece, food was a way of life.

Good for your body, good for your soul.

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world, and I have seen how it can truly change people's lives, like it changed mine.

And since then, my life has been all about the Mediterranean diet.

Today, we are going to share some of the delicious secrets that you can make part of your own lives at home.

So come with me right now on The Life of Loi.

♪ ♪ >> Funding for this program is provided by the Behrakis Family, the Greek National Tourism Organization, Enterprise Greece.

Additional funding is provided by: >> LOI: Let me show you a different side of Athens.

Something unique that we, the Greeks, love and tourists don't usually see.

Come with me to Thespis Restaurant in Plaka, in my neighborhood in Athens, where Chef Christos Bouboulis makes arní kontosouvli exactly the way my father did.

Páme.

♪ ♪ I am in Plaka area, one of the best neighborhoods of the world, not only in Athens.

And a big plus, I'm going to cook with Chef Christos.

Why?

He comes from the area that I come from, Aitoloakarnania, and he knows how I cook.

So we're going to cook together something special for you, lamb, but a different way.

You know, usually I don't like meat, but this one is super delicious.

He's going to marinate the lamb.

(speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: One kilo.

And you want some olive oil, of course.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Dyo?

Okay.

This salt comes from Messolonghi?

>> Yes, from (speaking Greek).

(speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Like this.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Okay.

(speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

(Loi chuckles) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> LOI (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Bravo.

Zoumí?

>> Zoumí.

(Loi laughs) >> LOI: Okay.

He's strong.

Great.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: (speaking Greek) (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): (Loi laughs) >> LOI: How's that?

>> Yes.

(speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> (speaking Greek): (speaking Greek): (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Tsipouro, eh?

>> Naí.

>> LOI: I can drink it too.

(speaking Greek) >> Naí.

>> LOI: Eh?

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Naí.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek) >> Naí.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: It's going to be drunk.

>> No, no.

(Loi laughs) >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Anyway, he said so, I will do it.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Let's continue with the potatoes.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Cut off the ends.

>> (speaking Greek): (Loi humming) >> LOI (speaking Greek) Bravo.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Naí.

>> (speaking Greek) (Loi humming) (Loi laughs) >> LOI: Naí.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): (Loi clicks teeth) >> (speaking Greek): (Loi sighs heavily) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay, I will believe him.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: And that's enough, I'm not going to put anymore.

>> Oh, yeah?

(Loi chuckles) >> LOI (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> Naí.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> Naí.

Naí.

Naí.

>> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Like this.

>> Naí.

Naí.

(speaking Greek) (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI (sniff): Ah.

It smells so good.

Thyme?

>> Yes.

>> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek) You can put it.

Okay?

>> (speaking Greek): ♪ ♪ >> LOI (speaking Greek): It's nice.

>> Okay.

(speaking Greek) >> LOI: Yeah.

Your grandma never removed the outer leaves.

>> Of course.

(Loi chuckles) (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

(Loi sniffs deeply) (exhales) For you.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Preheated oven, 170, 175 degrees.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: A half hour, maybe 45 minutes.

Check it.

Always check it.

It's going to be amazing.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Right?

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: (speaking Greek) >> Yes.

♪ ♪ >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Slow-cook, about 40 minutes.

Check it out.

Depends how you like the meat.

And when you finish that, you're coming back over here and... ...bring me more things.

I want to see everything on the table.

(speaking Greek): (conversing in Greek) >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: I have to taste.

I like it with pita bread.

Yassou.

>> Yamas.

>> LOI: Christos.

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

>> Tzatziki.

(speaking Greek): Handmade.

>> LOI: Of course.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: So cute.

Yeah.

You have to come to Greece to eat this food.

But, I will show you how to make it in your house.

Yassou.

(kisses) ♪ ♪ You can't even imagine how good that food was.

So, I am going to show my friend, Luigi Romaniello, another take, as we say on TV.

Luigi.

(laughs) >> Maria.

I'll tell you, it's such a pleasure to be here with you, I tell you.

By the way, what a lovely kitchen you have here.

Beautiful.

So, what are we cooking today, Maria?

>> LOI: Well, I'm going to cook something which is very, very Greek.

Tzatziki, on a different take, as we say.

>> Yum.

>> LOI: I'm going to use, what is this?

>> Oh my gosh.

You got my finocchio over there.

This is the fennel.

Oh, I feel honored, I'll tell you.

That's a real Italian, like, staple.

>> LOI: I remember that you told me you like something like souvlaki, like gyros.

>> Right, yes.

Right.

>> LOI: I'm going to make something similar for you.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: But very clean and very healthy.

>> I love that.

You know, I love your food because it's so clean and wonderful.

>> LOI: Thank you.

>> Can't wait.

Yes.

>> LOI: So, olive oil.

>> Of course.

Number one, right?

>> LOI: He said it.

Number one!

(both laugh) Salt.

>> Okay.

You got sea salt, huh?

>> LOI (chuckles): This pepper?

It's not from Greece.

>> Okay.

(both laugh) >> That's the biggest pepper I've ever seen though.

>> LOI: Yeah, it's fresh ground.

>> Nice.

>> LOI: And I'll give it to Felipe to put it in the oven.

Felipe.

>> Yes, chef?

>> LOI: Can you please?

>> Sure.

>> All right.

>> LOI: Thank you, in the oven.

>> Double portion for me, please.

>> All right.

(both laugh) >> LOI: If you want to make the same thing.

375.

You have to have preheated oven.

And depends, if you want it well-done, it's one hour-plus.

But also, I have to respect how he eats the lamb.

So it's going to be like 25 minutes, maximum.

>> Okay.

Okay.

>> LOI: Maximum.

Felipe made the finocchio for me.

Marathos in Greek.

>> Very thin, huh?

This slice.

>> LOI: Yes.

Very thin.

Take a knife.

(murmurs) Okay.

Remove this first one.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> LOI: This is hard in the beginning.

Okay?

>> Mm-hmm.

>> LOI: But you can go like this-- see?

>> Oh, it smells good.

>> LOI: That's it.

Yeah.

And let's make our tzatziki... >> Mmm.

>> LOI: Okay.

We need the finocchio and we need the best Greek yogurt.

>> Wow.

>> LOI: You know when you know the yogurt is good?

When you put it like that and it doesn't go down.

And in order to to remove it from the spoon, you have hard, like this.

>> (chuckles) >> LOI: Now, we add some olive oil.

♪ ♪ And here, this is garlic.

Okay?

>> LOI: I make it like a paste.

>> Well, I know, a little bit about garlic.

(both laugh) >> I'll put some, uh, salt.

Don't you have some pepper as well?

>> Pepper.

Yes, signorina.

>> LOI: Oh, grazie.

>> Prego.

>> LOI: Grazie.

Grazie.

Grazie.

Okay.

More here.

And then, this is vinegar, >> Okay.

>> LOI: Red wine vinegar.

>> Hmm.

So, red wine, huh?

>> LOI: Red wine vinegar.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: Because this vinegar, it's spicy.

Spice it up.

Felipe.

>> Yes, chef?

>> LOI: I'm going to give you this.

You have the other one from last night, right?

>> Yes, chef.

>> LOI: Bring it.

Bring it.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: He has everything ready.

Everything.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Good.

>> Ooh... that looks so good.

>> LOI: And can you check also the meat?

And do you have pita bread as well?

>> Yes, chef.

>> Oh my gosh.

Look at this.

Wow.

Look at the consistency.

I mean, I can smell it, it's so fantastic.

That-- wow.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> Be careful.

It's a little bit hot.

>> LOI: Here, here, here.

>> Looks like a Greek waffle.

>> LOI: It is.

>> Wow, that's beautiful.

>> LOI: It's hot.

And the meat!

>> Yes.

>> LOI: I need also to grab me some plates over there.

>> Plates, which one you like?

The two?

Okay.

>> LOI: Two.

Just me and you.

♪ ♪ >> Ooh, that looks great.

>> LOI: Good.

>> Wow.

>> LOI: I will eat this part.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> LOI: Okay.

And you will eat-- >> You like well done?

>> LOI (scoffs): I'm Greek.

So, this is for Luigi.

Okay?

>> Mmm.

That's beautiful.

♪ ♪ Wow.

>> LOI: One more.

♪ ♪ >> So, how you put it together?

So, you have that?

So, it's like an open-face... >> LOI: Yeah.

>> Yeah.

♪ ♪ Now this is fine?

>> LOI: Yes.

>> (quietly): Oh, yes.

>> LOI: And you can have more if you want.

It's up to you.

>> That looks good.

>> LOI: Okay.

And you can eat it, like a Greek.

>> Yes.

All right.

Hey, Maria.

What do you say we do a toast, huh?

What do you think?

>> LOI: Salut.

>> To your health.

Thank you for inviting me today.

Cheers.

Mm.

>> LOI: Thank you.

♪ ♪ >> Mmm.

Mmm.

Really, really good.

And the bread is perfect, I'll tell you.

Wow.

>> LOI: Let's go back to Athens to cook with Chef Thodoris Afentakis in the private garden of Zonar's Restaurant, where it feels like you can reach out and touch the Acropolis.

Páme.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I know you are jealous.

Well, come over.

For two reasons: the first, to see Acropolis.

Where else you can have this view, except Dionysos, here across from Acropolis.

And second, you're going to meet Thodoris, the chef.

And he's going to show me a great soup with celery.

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: (speaking Greek) It's Greek and very tasty.

Páme.

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Extra-virgin olive oil.

Me and olive oil, we go together.

(speaking Greek): >> It's okay.

>> LOI (speaking Greek): (both laugh) >> White onion.

(speaking Greek): >> LOI: Mm-hmm.

♪ ♪ >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: White carrot?

>> (speaking Greek): White carrot.

>> LOI: Do you use any other carrots?

>> (speaking Greek): ♪ ♪ >> LOI: I am a good sous chef, hey?

>> The best.

>> LOI: I like that.

I'll make this soup.

When I will go home, I'll make it because I feel that it's going to be amazing.

So, next.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: And it's like two, three minutes only.

>> Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

>> LOI: Okay.

(inhales deeply, exhales) Great.

>> Great.

(speaking Greek): (Loi laughs) >> LOI: Why everyone is asking me to go into the kitchen, you know, while I have this beauty (laughs) on our back?

(sniffles) No.

>> No?

>> LOI: Over here, I'll be back.

>> Okay.

(speaking Greek): (Loi laughs) (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Naí.

Okay.

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): ♪ ♪ >> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Naí.

>> Kolokythi.

Zucchini.

>> LOI: And it's so fresh.

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Every day?

>> Every day.

Every morning.

(speaking Greek): ♪ ♪ >> LOI: That's why they have quality.

Fresh ingredients, good ingredients, makes the best food.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): (Loi chuckles) (speaking Greek): >> LOI: But you add a lot of celery, right?

Otherwise, would be, just vegetable soup.

>> (speaking Greek): Eh, one more piece I think.

>> LOI: One more piece.

>> It's okay.

>> LOI: Do you think we should add some more vegetable stock?

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: He's a very good chef.

Now you're going to put the potato.

Okay?

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Mm-hmm.

The potato is going to thicken, right, the soup?

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Bravo.

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: That's all.

(speaking Greek) You can tell me your story.

You know, just looking at the Acropolis.

(laughs) >> The best view.

>> LOI (speaking Greek): The best.

Naí.

So, what is your dream?

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): (Loi laughs) >> Is it now?

>> LOI: Bravo.

(hand blender whirring) (Loi laughs) >> (speaking Greek): (whirring stops) >> LOI: Maybe there's small pieces, but it's okay.

>> It's okay.

>> LOI: (speaking Greek) Okay.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Naí.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): (Loi sniffs deeply) (exhales) >> LOI: It's so good.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Naí.

>> Yes.

♪ ♪ >> LOI: What about if I'll put a bit of yogurt in there?

>> Fresh Greek yogurt.

>> LOI: Full-fat.

>> Full-fat.

>> LOI: Not those zero fat.

Please, it's not yogurt.

It's just bad cream.

(speaking Greek) Not too much.

And... (speaking Greek): >> (laughs) >> LOI: You know, no one could say bad things about you.

Um, and what is this?

>> Olive oil with basil, fresh basil.

(speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.

(speaking Greek) >> Okay.

>> LOI: Oh, coloring.

I'm sure that it has amazing taste.

And-- >> And?

>> LOI: What are those?

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Naí.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: It needs the crunchiness.

Let's take a photo.

Selfie with Acropolis in the back.

(camera shutter clicks) It's beautiful.

>> (speaking Greek) (Loi laughs) >> LOI: Okay.

Let's eat.

Kalí órexi.

>> Kalí órexi.

>> LOI: They say bon appétit-- kalí órexi.

With the best food: healthy, tasty, easy.

(speaking Greek) (conversing in Greek): >> LOI: And I love bread with oregano and olive oil.

♪ ♪ I can eat this soup every day.

>> Mmm.

>> LOI: Amazing.

♪ ♪ Don't look at me eating.

(laughs) Make it, or come with us.

Yassou.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ That soup was so tasty.

I love the flavor of the selinóriza.

And cooking with that view, how could you not be happy?

But let's cook here, Luigi, now in New York.

>> I'm so ready, Maria.

(Loi chuckles) When you're talking cauliflower, you're speaking my language.

>> LOI: It is amazing vegetable.

>> Fantastic, yeah.

>> LOI: And it's anti-aging.

So, what we have here, very simple things.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Felipe, my chef, he brought that cauliflower, onions, there's a celery, and some leeks.

But he put it in the oven.

That was the difference.

>> Okay, so the roasting, it does... >> LOI: Yeah.

It's so good.

>> I can tell the color of the cauliflower there.

Beautiful.

It looks very happy over there, I can tell.

>> LOI: When you cook with an Italian, you are happy.

Thank you.

>> You have to be happy.

>> LOI: I'll put everything in here.

It's so simple.

>> Mmm.

♪ ♪ Okay.

>> LOI: And then, the cauliflower.

Over there I have some vegetable stock.

>> Okay, let me see.

(sniffs) Okay, it's vegetable.

>> LOI: See, vegetable stock is very easy to make.

Whatever leftover vegetables you have in your house, you put it in the freezer.

Okay.

And then you put it all together, you boil it.

That's it.

We have the vegetable stock.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: All the vegetables.

Olive oil.

>> Of course.

>> LOI: Makes life taste better and healthier.

>> Oh my God, you really put it down.

Wow.

(laughs) Well, I mean, but it looks beautiful.

>> LOI: And it's going to taste beautiful.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Could I have some salt and pepper, please?

>> Salt?

Yes.

>> LOI: Yeah.

Down.

>> Okay.

♪ ♪ >> LOI (laughs): Okay.

And pepper.

>> And pepper.

Here it comes, chef.

>> LOI: Thank you.

You could be a very good sous chef.

>> I'm just observing.

>> LOI: Yes.

>> I totally want to make this at home, you know that, right?

>> LOI: I have to use my grandmother's spoon.

>> Oh, oh.

That reminds me of really bad times when my grandmother was upset.

(Loi laughs) Every time I see that I got to run from the... (both laugh) Okay.

>> LOI: Oh, God.

Felipe.

>> Yes, chef.

>> LOI: Is it ready?

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Please give it to us.

>> All right.

>> LOI: And let's have two spoons ready.

>> Just be careful... >> LOI: Oh, you put it there.

>> It's hot.

>> LOI: Okay.

It's okay, it's okay.

Don't worry.

♪ ♪ >> Ooh... >> LOI: It's so nice.

Huh?

>> Wow.

(Loi sniffs deeply) (Loi exhales) >> (humming) (Loi chuckling) >> LOI: Look at this.

>> Wow.

♪ ♪ And you can add some fresh pepper.

>> I'll wait for you so we can cheers, okay?

>> LOI: Some fresh pepper.

>> A little pepper.

Okay.

>> LOI: Not too much.

♪ ♪ >> (chuckles) Ooh, it smells good, Maria.

Hoo.

Oh, of course.

(Loi chuckles) More olive oil.

Yes.

♪ ♪ Okay.

>> LOI: Yassou.

>> Yassou.

>> LOI: Here, here, here.

>> Oh.

>> LOI: Yassou.

>> Like that.

Yassou.

Yassou.

♪ ♪ Mmm.

Oh, man.

Mmm.

>> LOI: I think I have to eat this soup every day.

>> Oh, my God.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> Mmm.

Mmm.

Very good.

>> LOI: Before we finish.

Can I have those two glasses?

>> Sure.

♪ ♪ >> LOI: In this show, The Life of Loi, we don't cheers with wine.

We say yassou to life with olive oil.

>> I love that.

>> LOI: Yassou.

>> Yassou.

(Loi laughs) >> LOI: And yassou to you too.

Remember, metron ariston.

Everything in moderation, except love, olive oil, and good deeds.

(kisses) Yassou.

♪ ♪ >> Closed captioning provided by Genetic Networks.

Funding for this program is provided by the Behrakis Family, the Greek National Tourism Organization, Enterprise Greece.

Additional funding is provided by: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪