Sunday, 16 November 2014 11:21

On Profile

Paris Christofides is a World traveler, a connoisseur of lifestyle and a perceiver of situations. He has the charisma of seeing through things but seeing things coming in the future as trends although often creating trends! He is an extremely creative person capable of putting things together in a unique manner and has a way to present simple things in a stunning way. He is highly communicative and a people’s person thus a good trainer. He is flexible and adaptable coming from being a gypsy and an aristocrat the same time. His trade is being a consultant on food/drink and music, design and atmosphere, organization and management, personality coaching and…concepts, concepts, concepts!

 

THE EARLY YEARS

Born in Nicosia Cyprus in the late 50’s, Paris Christofides receives his Hotel and Catering education in Oxford and Manchester in UK while working around in kitchens and restaurants of various status.

While a student he travels regularly to France where he gets acquainted with the French gastronomy and food culture. During the student years he works in the food and beverage department of the Churchill Hotel in Limassol, and he helps the concept of Ayios Elias in Protaras working closely with the architect Pefkios Georgiades. He returned to Cyprus in 1982 to work in management positions at the Vrissianna Beach Hotel in Protaras, Grecian Beach Hotel in Ayia Napa, Pinewood Valley Hotel in Prodromos, Nissi Beach Hotel in Ayia Napa until 1986 that he sets Cyprus the highest standards of food service with the concept of a French Bistro in a traditional farmhouse in Ayia Napa. The project lasted 15 years and the same location was transformed in 2001 to a new concept that was born, ‘GURU’, a multi global lifestyle bar with food. Paris Christofides puts together ideas and creates a unique concept for Cyprus with International recognition. Guru grows to become a franchise in Cyprus to Limassol, Nicosia, Protaras, Paphos and with more plans to be franchised to other countries. In 1994 he creates another unique and revolutionary food and drink lifestyle concept ‘Diagorou dodeka’ in Nicosia and provides the capital a new way of entertainment day and night.

 

TRAVELS

While at different phases of his personal development, Paris Christofides ‘feeds’ from traveling around the world making friends and seeing through the culture and the history of every single place he visits. He absorbs and often becomes one with the various situations he finds himself into.  France, Switzerland and Italy, visited so often, have helped to form strong basis on the understanding of the culture of food in its geographical, historical evolution. From there on the Scandinavian countries, Scotland, Greece, the Balkans and central Europe unfold as studying fields. The French West Indies in the Caribbean, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Saint Martin, the British West Indies Barbados and Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Necker, Cuba, were targets for experiencing lifestyle and culture for him. Other destinations were Mexico’s Cancun and Cozumel island, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, and Dallas. On the subject of Asia, Paris Christofides visits frequently for lengthy stays in Thailand, India and China while experiencing also Cambodia and Vietnam. The Middle East culture too, provided deep experiences and influences through Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and U.A.E .

His experiences from his travels took him to palaces and homes, dining with Maharajas and Princes, black tie events with style in extreme venues or marked by cultural essence, the private island Necker of Richard Branson, the 3 star Michelin restaurants of the world but also to the simple street food culture and most remote places on a house boat at the backwaters in India’s Kerala, in snow houses in Finland, in a eco house at an olive grove in Alonisos Greek island, in a simple farmhouse with friends at Amritsar in Punjab, a little house in the mountains of Aberdeen and lots of other alternatives.

 

Edited by Elizabeth Kirrane

Published in Articles