Born and raised on the small Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Chef Arie acquired a lifelong passion for hunting, foraging and fishing. Growing up in the peaceful mountain village of Vavla with his younger brother, Sicilian mother and Cypriot father, Chef Aries’ love for food was born. He was raised on family meals composed of ingredients harvested, hunted or freshly caught from the sea. The popular American “Farm to Table” trend is nothing new to Chef Arie, in fact, it’s his way of life.
Blend Chef Aries’ Mediterranean heritage with his formal education at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, some would say you have the perfect recipe for a Chef.
Chef Arie began his culinary career in the South of France as an apprentice to Two Michelin Star Chef Philippe Da Silva who discovered the young Chef’s talents as a Saucier. This experience left the most impact on Chef Aries’ training in classical French cuisine. He moved to New York City to continue perfecting his craft at top restaurants including the world renowned Le Cirque 2000.
In 1998, Chef Arie moved to Southold, Long Island where he and his family opened Coeur des Vignes L’Hotel & Restaurant Francais. The bounty of farms, vineyards and proximity to the sea made it possible for Chef Arie to present French cuisine utilizing seasonal and local ingredients continuing the tradition of his family. Today Chef Arie and his wife Liz own and operate, Bistro Ete, a Coastal French bistro in Water Mill, New York.
To know Chef Arie is to love him. Fluent in four languages; English, Greek, Cypriot, French and proficient in Spanish, he keeps friends from all walks of life. When he’s not in the kitchen you might find Chef Arie skiing, riding one of his motorcycles or scuba diving in which he describes as “watching food swim”.
Chef Aries’ talents don’t stop in the kitchen. He is the brain child behind all the specialty cocktails at Bistro Ete. A purist, some might say, only uses fresh pressed juice including pineapple, strawberry & cranberry. He is also the author of a foie gras and soup cookbook as well as a trilogy of romance novels.
If you should be inspired to improve your own culinary skills, Chef Arie is celebrating his 20th year teaching at Suffolk County Community Colleges’ Culinary Arts Program.