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about
who we are
The countryside of Epirus, Greece is rich in olive orchards, eclectic fruit trees, home grown vegetables, fresh cheeses, and homemade yogurt. This is home to both, executive chef John Ikonomou and Angela Ikonomou, whom grew up to appreciate fresh ingredients and the food it produces – setting the foundations for Galini.
In 1975, John Ikonomou moved to Canada, training in commercial kitchens for several years before applying his ideologies of homemade cooking towards his first restaurant. The restaurant was a partnership with John’s older brother, established during the late 1970s in Stevenson, Richmond. Its success led to the two brothers branching into separate paths, with John launching two more highly acclaimed restaurants – one in 1990 and the other in 1996.
It wasn’t until 2005 when John Ikonomou and his family set out to realize their latest establishment – Galini. A restaurant which was to incorporate his life-time expertise. The vision was simple, to serve honest, wholesome homemade food, which is of premium quality yet affordable. Now, six years later, his vision still holds true.
brief on greek food
Thanks to a long history of trade between greeks and other coastal nations, combined with a warm climate and lush terrain, regional Greek food is extremely diverse – arguably more so than any other cuisine. Local ingredients are plentiful, and include olives, artichokes, oregano, spinach, tomatoes, basil, and rosemary to name a few. What links the food together is the combination of aromatic herbs with simple grilled meats and melt in your mouth roasts.
