Elisavet Kouta Andreadaki: Gastronomy in Greece is a trend in itself

Gastronomy in Greece

Gastronomy in Greece is a trend in itself

April 1, 2021 – A year, already, with Covid-19 that "hit" all our economic and social activities. By all accounts, catering and tourism are among the worst affected sectors. How does a young restaurant professional experience all this difficult, insecure, unstable climate? Did the fact that she recently became a mother lead her to reevaluate her professional life? What does he think the next day of Covid will be like? The answers from Ms Elizabeth Kouta Andreadaki, founder and CEO of the company Butterfly Stories Food Management & Food Marketing.

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The article is republished from: EPIXEIRO Business & Know-how

Ms. Kouta Andreadaki was introduced to the field of catering only at the age of 22, as she takes on her first job as a nutritionist at the hotel "Out of the Blue Capsis Elite Resort». She worked in this position for 4 years, living very closely "the magic of gastronomy and the satisfaction that this experience brings to the customer when it is complete", she says characteristically. Thus, she proceeds to obtain her 2nd master's degree in the subject "Business management – Strategic management" from Kapodistrian University of Athens, which gives her the strength and knowledge to take her next professional step.

She founded the company 5 years ago "Butterfly Stories Food Management", in Heraklion, Crete, which is the first and only one in this area that deals exclusively with gastronomy, the foods and hotel catering. The company offers complete culinary services whether for restaurants or hotels, focusing on the respective needs of their customers and aiming to provide nutritious, quality menu options. "The road was not easy at all," he comments, "as I tried a lot, I worked a lot all these years to acquire this specialization as a company. I also traveled a lot in search of new destinations. To date, we have taken part in over 6 exhibitions where I was invited to speak as a delegate and in 21 exhibitions as a presence with our own booth.

According to Ms. Kouta Andreadaki, gastronomy in Greece is a trend in itself. The use of social networks by businesses in recent years and the search for imaginative taste proposals by restaurants to attract more and more customers is now commonplace. "Competition in catering is very big and for this we need to use the tools we offer our customers correctly. What are these; Right strategy and branding, organized business plan with market analysismarketing & social media as photography with emotion, with truth so that the business - our client can acquire solid foundations and a strong competitive advantage", she tells us.

Her vision is to offer high-quality, responsible services in catering establishments, with the proper utilization of the resources of each business and the goal of turning each consumer's visit there into a real experience.

Problems; quite a lot and, according to Ms. Elisavet Kouta Andreadakis, most are focused on temporary jobs without a corresponding strategy which, in essence, result from clients pushing for quick and tangible results. "You have to embrace gastronomy from all sides, give it space to develop with foundations innovation and display creativity. In this way it will stand out and give you fruits. It requires proper copywriting, photography shots not of the great but of the real thing and, of course, it takes time. Time appropriate for any product to pass to the consumer as something familiar", she comments to us. And, unfortunately, the state in the first years of her career was absent. As she explains to us, Ms. Kouta Andreadaki, when she created the company she did not find any supporting financial incentive. With patience, faith, will and a lot of effort, taking small, gradual steps, she was finally able to realize her vision. Obstacles will always arise, such as this unexpected anomaly of Covid-19, with the completely fluid situation we have been living in for a year now.

Food Management & Food Marketing

Food Management & Food Marketing

As Ms. Kouta Andreadaki pointed out, "the Covid-19 pandemic affected our work quite a bit, as it shut down restaurants and gastronomy early on, with the result that most of our customers were closed or working under restrictions." Optimistic in nature, however, he took all this as an opportunity for development, for reflection and redefinition. So they tried as a company to communicate with their customers who were left open, in light of the new data due to Covid, in a way to find more original or sustainable solutions. The consequence was not only to be able to present their products more creatively, but also to be able to showcase them in a way that ultimately attracted the consumers they wanted.

The catering industry needs truth, which every professional must testify. According to Ms. Elisavet Kouta Andreadaki, "there is room for growth and development for a new entrant. However, it requires constant information and information, seamless participation in conferences and exhibitions, patience, persistence and always looking for diversity". She was lucky in her first steps that Mr. Giorgos Skaramagas and Mr. Haris Brusalian, one of the best in hotel management, introduced her to Mr. Nikos Morantis and Mr. Dimitris Antonakos who invited her to speak for the first time in front of the public for her gastronomy in the hotel industry. "I was greatly honored by their trust", he commented to us. Like, she still remembers, how much joy and optimism she felt all the way until she closed her first job in Santorini for which she has to thank, taking the opportunity, Ms. Sophia Mantzourani and Mr. Giorgos Grafakos for all their cooperation.

The present finds her more confident than ever as she is now a mother, which gives her another impetus to imagine the future. Women take on many roles, but for her motherhood is the most sacred, important and first moment in her life. She tells us that "the most beautiful story I will always tell is that through this job I met my husband. His kindness in offering to help me at one of the exhibitions I was to attend was the beginning of a lifelong acquaintance. The fact that I fought and stepped on my own two feet to build my company as I had designed it gives me the strength to believe that we women are very capable of doing great things, both professionally and personally, as long as we put our souls into it. in these".

marketing strategy - gastronomy and hotel industry

marketing strategy – gastronomy and hotel industry

Difficulties exist and will exist, he comments, but what counts are the people who support us and are by our side. Her husband's dynamism and his trust in her moves her in every step. Thus, today, Ms. Elisabeth Kouta Andreadaki, in addition to her address "Food Management & Food Marketing” and all the work demands of this position, she additionally “enjoys” the daily miracle of the arrival of her daughter. And finally, she is planning a new, innovative company for her professional future, which she hopes to present to us at our next meeting.

SOURCE: https://www.epixeiro.gr/article/255763