The Life of Loi: Mediterranean Secrets

>> MARIA LOI: Yassou!

Just imagine heaven on earth-- a simply elegant back-to-nature experience on the edge of Costa Navarino.

Come and enjoy with me a truly special place, designed in harmony with the environment, one of the most breathtaking locations in the Mediterranean.

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: The Mandarin Oriental at Costa Navarino is heaven.

(singing in Greek) Chef Bertrand Valegeas invited me on a special boat trip, where we made an ancient Messinian tuna recipe together, right there out on the water.

Pme!

(music begins, clapping to rhythm) (singing in Greek) >> LOI: Happy anniversary.

(music, clapping continue) Isn't it beautiful here?

>> Beautiful.

>> LOI: It's paradise.

>> It's perfect.

>> LOI: And we have our captain.

Yassou!

(speaking Greek) We came here to Costa Navarino because my friend, Bertrand Valegeas, you see, we... >> Oh, amazing.

(both laugh) > LOI: Yeah.

He is French, but it's okay.

>> It's okay, nobody's perfect.

(both laugh) >> LOI: You know now, he doesn't cook so much with butter, he uses olive oil.

>> The best olive oil.

We are in the middle of the olive trees, so we have the best olive oil in the world.

>> LOI: We have.

He's French and he says we have.

(laughter) And I like how this hotel has been built.

>> Yes, yes.

>> LOI: Sustainability.

>> We are all focused on sustainability because I think for me now, it's very, very important for the next generation, for us, for the next generation, for our kids, that we are speaking about sustainability.

In this hotel, our aim, you know, is to go to zero waste.

To, to work as much as we can locally.

So all our farm, fishermen, vegetable, the eggs, everything is 50 kilometer around us.

And this is the most important.

Because we are in the best place in the world.

Don't you think this is paradise?

>> LOI: It is-- that's why I have my new friends here, you know, Cynthia and Philip.

Look at them.

>> Look, look at their happiness.

>> LOI: Yeah.

40 years now, right?

>> Yes, 40 years.

>> LOI: 40 years of marriage.

>> Unbelievable.

>> LOI: Yes.

>> Congratulations.

And we are here.

(engine revs) So, look this amazing tuna we just received.

>> LOI: Greek tuna.

>> We just catch them.

>> LOI: Yeah, that's what we say, Greek tuna.

Make sure you say that.

>> They cannot be more Greek than this.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> So what we will do, we'll do something very simple.

We have a small marinade, you know, with all the herbs we have in our garden.

>> LOI: Parsley, dill.

>> Parsley, dill, oregano, rosemary.

>> LOI: Any green.

>> Anything green, we mix, we make, like, marinade with some amazing Greek olive oil.

>> LOI: And what is this?

>> This one is seaweed.

>> LOI: Seaweed.

>> So it's a lady, who every winter she's harvesting for me, five kilometer away from here, the seaweed.

And during the winter, you know, she prep them with the secret recipe, she don't even share with me.

>> LOI: Maybe if I will go there sometime she will share with me.

>> Maybe, maybe.

Next time you are coming, I will introduce to her.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> She's making my seaweed and my salt as well.

So all the sea salt you will see, look at this amazing sea salt.

Look at this.

So this, it's all, all from the, from the coast.

>> LOI: You know why I like the sea salt?

It's not so salty.

>> Exactly.

>> LOI: And this, it's a mandarin, because we are Mandarin Oriental.

So, I'm using mandarin, you know, I love mandarins.

We are making a small dressing, you will see, with the fish.

So, what we will do now... >> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>>... we will just remove the skin.

Look at this.

>> LOI: So you just cut it in small pieces, right?

>> Exactly.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> It cannot be more simpler than this.

>> LOI: Here, I have a plate for you.

>> Oh, thank you.

You are amazing.

>> LOI (chuckles): Yes.

>> The most important is to have something very, very fresh.

>> LOI: I make something similar in my restaurant, Loi Estiatorio in New York.

>> Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

>> LOI: And I do that with lavraki... >> Yes, yes.

> LOI: When it comes, like, super fresh and I just put oregano, lot of.

>> Exactly.

>> LOI: Here.

>> You have some oregano?

(Loi chuckles) Ah, perfect.

So now, now we have this dressing and you give this on top of the fish.

A little bit of sea salt... Tak, tak, tak.

Now we'll put our seaweed.

When you will eat the seaweed, you will have all the flavor of the sea.

You're thinking you are eating the sea.

>> LOI: And full of omegas.

>> Exactly.

>> LOI: Because we have to think of our health.

And it's beautiful, the way you make it.

>> A bit of our mandarin.

>> LOI: And the mandarin.

>> Tak, tak, tak.

A little bit here, a little bit there.

And now you can put a little bit of oregano on top.

>> LOI: May I?

>> Yeah, of course.

>> LOI: Because you don't want to overpower, right?

That's enough.

>> Look at this.

>> LOI: You know what, I'm not going to look at this.

I'm going to serve to Cynthia and Philip.

Cynthia, for you.

>> Thank you.

>> LOI: Actually for Phil.

>> I'm going to feed Philip.

How about that?

Opa.

>> LOI: Happy anniversary.

>> Happy anniversary.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Oh!

>> (laughs) >> LOI: Bravo, Phil, bravo.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: An American and a French speaking Greek.

That's good.

>> Oh, my goodness.

Let me, me try one.

>> LOI: Okay, okay.

Are we going to the hotel now?

>> Yes.

>> LOI: In your kitchen?

>> In my private kitchen.

Not all the kitchen, my private kitchen.

You will see.

>> LOI: In his private kitchen.

You know, when you have good friends like Bertrand, you can go in there.

>> Exactly.

>> LOI: Thank you.

I love you.

>> My pleasure.

>> LOI: Being on the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by the mountains, with the fresh air and even fresher fish, gave me an idea.

Felipe could show how to make a similar recipe like we do at Loi Estiatorio.

Felipe, go ahead.

>> All right.

Before I'm doing this, I want to say one small Estiatorio story.

>> LOI: What?

>> I remember the first time when I come to your restaurant, I'm looking, and I ask for a job and you told me, "Oh, you have the experience in Greek cuisine?"

I say, "I'm sorry, but not."

(Loi chuckles) >> LOI: No, I remember that.

>> Because I'm doing the sushi for years.

So she told me, "No worry, come inside."

So, it's already past... >> LOI: Almost 12 years now.

>> Yes.

She told me, "Okay, maybe one day you are my chef in my cocina."

I'm here.

(both laughing) I'm here, yeah, so.

>> LOI: Oh, Felipe, I love you.

I love you.

>> I love you too.

>> LOI: Oh, God.

>> Okay.

Let's get to it.

>> LOI: Actually, you don't remember exactly what I said.

I said, "If you know how to make sushi like this, you could be the best Greek chef."

And you became.

>> Yes.

Yeah, that's true.

>> LOI: Right?

>> Yes.

Right, yes.

>> LOI: See, I remember.

>> All right, let's get to it.

Make sure when you do this kind of plate, fish is fresh.

This is fresh branzino.

Take my knife.

So you have to cut them into small pieces, very tiny because this is eat like raw.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> Okay, do it like this.

>> LOI: And this is lavraki, right?

>> Lavraki, yes.

Lavraki.

>> LOI: Good.

>> LOI: Remember Felipe, this Japanese who came here and he said that, "You Greeks know how to grill fish, but you don't know how to make raw fish."

I came into the kitchen and I said to Felipe, (whispers) "Let's do that sashimi you are doing."

We made it, and I remember his eyes, when I brought it to the table.

And he says, "Wow.

"You Greeks know how to make sashimi."

I said, "Yes, we Greeks, we know how to make everything when you have the right people."

Like Felipe.

(Felipe chuckles) >> Okay, next I cut really thin.

I want to make some, like, a Greek, Greek flavor.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> They need lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil.

Squeeze the lemon juice.

And then, just want to cook a little bit with the lemon, the citrus.

>> LOI: Exactly.

>> Okay.

Right next, a little bit of lemon zest.

Give a little bit more flavor.

>> LOI: I love the lemon zest and the flavor.

>> And the flavor.

And then, a little bit oregano.

>> LOI: We add dry oregano?

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Good.

>> Some olive oil please, chef.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> And a little bit of dill, they give color and they give flavor too.

>> LOI: You know who came to pick you up the first day at the old restaurant?

Shadya and little Felipe.

>> Yes.

My wife, yes.

(both laugh) >> LOI: You're so lucky.

>> I'm so lucky, yes.

She is my wife.

She's the best.

>> LOI: And little Felipe.

>> Yes, of course.

>> LOI: So, I have to ask you.

Now, after all these years, do you regret that you left the sushi career, and became one of the best Greek chefs in the world?

>> I'm not sure that I'm the best, but I try to make my best, you know.

I love to cook healthy food and delicious food.

That's why I'm here with you, chef.

You know, I cook with love.

This is my passion, you know.

If it's not, it's not delicious.

>> LOI: Okay.

I think your plate is ready.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: After that beautiful boat ride on the crystal waters, Chef Bertrand invited me to his private chef's kitchen at the Mandarin Oriental where we made one of my favorite recipes.

Pme!

So, here we are in his private kitchen as he has promised me to take me here.

Right?

>> Exactly.

This is our private kitchen.

It's here where all the magic happen.

You know, we do all our tasting, we do some private dinner, et cetera.

And today we will try one of my favorite recipe, but it's new because before it's one ingredient that I didn't like.

So we'll do a chicken with okra that we are in a full season of the okra now.

So, we just received them from, from my farm.

>> LOI: What you didn't like?

I want to know because... >> I didn't like okra because, you know, it's like little bit the spinach in France, you know, when we were kids at school.

>> LOI: You don't like, you know, that... >> When I was kid, you know this little bit texture was little bit... >> LOI: So, you know how to remove that?

>> Yes, yes, yes, exactly.

We take them, we clean them a little bit like an artichoke.

And for three, four hours, we put them in water with vinegar and salt.

>> LOI: Bravo.

>> To remove all of these things before we cook them.

>> LOI: You're a big chef.

You just follow, you know, what the grandmothers were doing.

>> For me, you know, all the basics are coming from the grandmothers.

(Loi sniffs deeply) >> LOI: They smell so good.

Fresh.

>> Smell so good.

Today they was still in a garden.

And now, we will kind of burn them a little bit.

So when you do this, I will start to grill the chicken.

>> LOI: Go ahead.

>> Because what I like is to grill it.

So you give the grill the flavor to the dish, to cook them after together.

>> LOI: And that's why I like you because you like to grill and not to fry.

>> I don't like frying.

For me, it sounds, the sounds of a, of a chef is the flame.

(sizzling) >> LOI: And the chicken comes from here, right?

>> Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Everything what we are doing here at the Mandarin Oriental in Costa Navarino, it's very important that for our sustainability, we are working everything around us.

My goal is to be between 50 to maximum 100 kilometer around, not more than this.

(gently sizzling) You see, as we are burning them to remove all this small water, et cetera.

It's not a nice flavor, this one.

So, we'll start cooking the vegetable inside the pot, so with some, of course, beautiful olive oil.

(chopping) Oh, we start with the onion.

>> LOI: You put garlic as well?

>> Of course.

>> LOI: Okay.

French without the garlic is... >> This is exactly what I will say.

French without garlic, it's not... >> LOI: It's like a Greek without olive oil.

>> Exactly, exactly.

(Loi laughs) >> LOI: I love Bertrand.

He's one of my favorite chefs, but also he's one of my favorite people.

>> You know, it's always a pleasure to have you with us, to cook with you.

It's always a special day when you're coming.

We are cooking together, it's, it's always special.

So, a little bit of garlic.

(sizzling) >> LOI: You know, for me, it's my favorite perfume, onion and garlic.

>> I cannot agree more with you.

>> LOI: You don't need a lot of tomato because I'm going to put my favorite tomato.

>> You, you have your secret and favorite ingredient?

>> LOI: You know, you know.

May I?

>> Of course.

>> LOI: That's enough.

>> That's enough, yes.

Because we are doing in small quantity today, just for the two of us, so... >> LOI: Intense.

>> Oh, they smell good.

>> LOI: You know, you can eat this like that.

You just add olive oil.

>> Exactly.

Exactly.

>> LOI: A piece of bread and feta.

>> A piece of bread grilled.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> A little bit of garlic on top of the bread.

Oh, that's all.

(sizzling) We will start to put a little bit of salt.

>> LOI: Yeah.

And... >> Black pepper.

>> LOI: You know, another thing that I like in you, that you don't add a lot of salt.

>> No, because I'm trying-- it's like what they say, to reduce as much as we can, the sugar.

And same with the salt.

I think you have the natural salt.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> But it's more than enough.

So now we will add our okra, bamies here in Greece.

Before we add the chicken and the parsley, we'll add little bit of vinegar.

>> LOI: Vinegar?

>> Yes.

>> LOI: How come you don't add tsipouro?

(laughs) You remember me and you with the tsipouro?

>> Yes, yes, yes, of course.

We will add now the chicken.

And you see with the tomato, with the fresh tomato, with the (indistinct), we start to have a little bit the juice.

>> LOI: Caramelized, actually.

>> Exactly, to look very good.

A little bit of the parsley inside.

>> LOI: You know the vinegar... >> The vinegar gives you this little bit kick.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> It's, it's... >> LOI: But Bertrand, this, you know, my grandmother used to put vinegar in there too.

>> Yes, yes.

But this is a recipe.

We are not here to reinvent the wheel, we're just here to, to cook.

You know, we are not physician or... (Loi laughs) >> We're just a chef.

We are cook.

Look at this.

Look, look this flavor.

It's amazing.

>> LOI (sniffing): I can stay here to smell this.

>> Yes.

Exactly.

So now-- >> LOI: Yeah, tell me.

>> What we will do... >> LOI: Uh-huh.

>> We will cover it and we put it in oven.

So, after around 40, 45 minutes at 170, 175 degrees.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

Okay.

>> I'm not sure about the Fahrenheit.

>> LOI: It doesn't matter, they will find it.

>> (grunts) Okay, so.

(Loi laughs) (clattering) >> LOI: That's Celsius, right?

So this way... >> Exactly, yes, yes.

>> LOI: So we have to put it in Fahrenheit.

That's good.

>> Oh... >> LOI: I need something.

>> I know.

(Loi laughs) >> LOI: You know.

>> I know.

>> LOI: Olive oil makes life tastes better and healthier.

>> Olive oil makes The Life of Loi.

>> LOI: Wow.

>> (chuckles) >> LOI: Actually, it does.

>> I know.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> LOI: You know, I don't care about to eat the chicken.

I love the okra.

>> The bamies by themself... >> LOI: May I?

>> Yeah, of course.

>> LOI: More?

>> It's all for you... And me.

>> LOI: I can't wait to come back here.

>> I can't wait to welcome you back... >> LOI (laughs): Thank you.

>>... to my private kitchen and it's always my pleasure... >> LOI: That's for sure.

>> ...to have you with us.

>> LOI (sighs): You see how we are in Greece?

>> And the philoxenia.

>> LOI: Are you sure you're not Greek?

>> With you, I'm becoming Greek.

>> LOI: Philoxenia.

I should have said that.

Okay.

So anyway, Bertrand, see you soon, and I hope to see you in New York as well.

>> Thank you very much.

And really, I hope during the winter I will be able to come in New York to see you.

>> LOI: Promise.

>> Promise.

>> LOI: Okay.

Thank you, thank you.

I love you.

Cooking with chef Bertrand in that kitchen was an amazing experience.

Now, I want to show you some different ways to cook bamies with my friend, Dr. Gonzalez.

>> Thanks for having me back again.

>> LOI: We love you here.

>> Thank you.

(both laugh) >> LOI: I love bamies.

Okra, right?

>> Yes, okra.

>> LOI: Do you know how to clean okra?

>> No.

>> LOI: To clean okra, you want to use cold running water and use a towel to pat it dry.

>> One of the things about okra is that sliminess.

How do you get rid of that?

>> LOI: My yaya taught me to soak the okra in vinegar, and it works.

But let's go now to cook.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: Okay.

Because I already clean the okra.

And also, I cut it on the top.

In order to sear the okra... >> Mm-hmm.

>> LOI: Actually I want to sear all the vitamins in there, you have a hot saucepan and you just put it there.

>> So one of the things about okra, you know that sliminess?

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> It's called mucilage.

And that's really actually good for you.

You want to remove it when you're eating it, but it's still inside the okra.

And what it does, it binds to cholesterol when you're eating.

So, it actually reduces the absorption of cholesterol and sugar.

So it's good for high cholesterol and for diabetics.

>> LOI: You know what, I'm not going to remove it anymore.

>> Yeah, leave it on there.

(chuckles) There's still some in there, I'm assuming, right afterwards.

>> LOI: And since I have... ...my grandma's spoon.

>> Oh, that's yaya's.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> All right.

(sizzling) >> LOI: See, it's really great.

>> You know, okra is full of vitamin A for your vision, vitamin C for immunity.

It's got vitamin K to clot blood.

So, it's really good to decrease heart attacks and decrease strokes.

It's good for memory.

It's got a lot of things going on for it.

It also is really high in folate.

You know, folic acid is a great prenatal vitamin for women who are pregnant or wanting to get pregnant.

Okra is really good for them as well.

>> LOI: Okay.

Okra forever.

>> (chuckles) Okra forever.

>> LOI: Then, I add the onion.

I know that you know how to cut this.

>> I do.

(cutting) >> LOI (laughs): He's a great surgeon.

(cutting) >> Onion is an antioxidant.

It's great-- you know, I've said this before because you cook with onion a lot.

>> LOI: You can say it again.

>> It's great to reduce stress and for the heart, and to live longer, obviously.

>> LOI: Okra and onion go together, and especially red onion.

(sizzling loudly) >> Okay, good.

That smells delicious actually.

>> LOI: So instead of wine, I add vinegar.

(pan hisses) >> Mm.

Oh, yeah.

Caramelizing.

>> LOI: Caramelization.

>> Yeah, caramelization.

>> LOI: And now I'm going to add some olive oil.

>> Ah, our favorite.

>> LOI: And my favorite.

This is one way.

>> It's delicious.

>> LOI: Without tomato.

>> Mm-hmm.

Okay, so now, we go to the second recipe.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: I can take tomato.

>> Just like the onion.

>> LOI: Yeah, mm-hmm.

And you can cut it in bigger pieces.

>> Yeah.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> And of course tomato, vitamin C, vitamin A as well.

(sizzling) >> LOI: Felipe.

>> Yes, chef.

>> LOI: Some feta cheese.

>> All right.

>> LOI: Thank you.

>> Uh-huh.

>> LOI: See?

And he knows.

>> He knows how to serve.

>> LOI: We'll put a bit on the top.

I'll do it, don't worry.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: Full of lycopenio.

>> There you go.

The tomato paste?

>> LOI: Yeah.

And now this tomato paste, it thickens everything and it gives that umami taste that you like.

>> Mmm.

>> LOI: Make sure that it's Greek tomato paste.

(both chuckle) So, you like feta, right?

I know you like feta.

>> Yes, I do.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> (chuckles) >> LOI: Look at this.

And I'll give you my secret as well.

>> Okay.

Don't tell anybody.

>> LOI: Did you see?

We didn't add any salt.

My secret.

>> Oh... >> LOI: I'm going to add some brine from the feta.

>> (whispering) Got you.

Now, that is salty?

>> LOI: Yes.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: See?

And that's it.

(whispering): I am telling you, this is delicious.

>> It smells delicious.

>> LOI: And it's ready.

The only thing that we can add-- okay, here-- it's some fresh pepper.

>> Mmm.

>> LOI: That's all.

Or if you want, you can add oregano here.

>> Okay.

I'll try that.

>> LOI: Yeah, you can try.

You can try anywhere you want.

>> There you go.

>> LOI: And let's try the food.

(silverware clattering) >> (whispering): It smells delicious.

(silverware clattering) Okay.

>> Mmm.

Okay, I'm going to tell you which one I like more.

>> LOI: Go on, this one.

>> You first.

>> LOI: That's okay.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: I really don't know which one I like best.

>> I don't either.

This is absolutely delicious.

>> LOI: Can you hold this please?

>> Sure can.

>> LOI: Thank you.

And you had two today.

(laughs) >> I've had two.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> Two shots.

I can drive though.

>> LOI: Here?

(both laughing) He can drive.

>> I can still drive.

>> LOI: Okay.

So, yamas.

>> Yamas.

(glasses clink) >> LOI: And yassou to you, too.

Remember, metron ariston.

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

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: >> Over there!

Okay!