I read your book “the Tasty Greek Recipes of Cyprus” and would like to thank you for coming to my programme “Mid – Day Pages”, giving us a chance to discuss your book. I am very impressed with all the recipes because I think they are very traditional and remind me of my mother's home cooking back in Cyprus , which I miss! At the same time, I enjoyed the poetry and your “Tasty Greek Song” included in the book. I have tried a couple of your recipes and I managed to cook a good plate of food for myself and friends. I have recommended your book to plenty of people I know. I wish you all the best with the book and your future. I look forward to enjoying more of your traditional Greek recipes!

Wishing you continued success with your book.

Vasilis Panayi

Actor – Radio Presenter

(LONDON GREEK RADIO)

Book Deal for Budding Chef

First Delia Smith, then Jamie Oliver and now Nicholas Nicolaou. Yes, a Southwark College student has got their own recipe book published and it all started here.

Nick Nicolaou experimented with a variety of careers before discovering a potential best-seller in his mother's cooking. After collecting around 85 Cypriot recipes, Nick began his hunt for a publisher. After a frustrating set back with (what seemed like) a promising publishing deal, the budding author decided to go it alone and print the whole thing himself.

In 2001, Nick enrolled on to the Food Preparation course at Southwark College to learn the techniques needed to write easy - to - follow recipes with all the traditional tastes of home.

Whereas most chefs would employ a designer to put the book together, Nick began an IT and Desktop Publishing course at Southwark, so he would have full control over the look of the book.

Once the recipes and designs were complete (and around four years hard labour), Nick self-published “the Tasty Greek Recipes of Cyprus” and is finally available to buy at top retailers including Amazon and WHSmith, with around 500 copies sold so far.

Karen Mandeville, who teaches Food Preparation, is delighted with her student's achievements: “Nick is an inspiration to others having written, designed and produced a cookbook with imagination, simplicity and humour, how do I know this – I have a copy myself”.

Students News

Southwark College

“I have known Nicholas and his mother Despina for many years. I have admired her delicious cooking as it reminds me so much of home and the wonderful food from Cyprus . I was very excited to here that Nicholas was putting all these lovely recipes down in a book for us all to share”.

Natasa (Soula) Zafiriou

Actress – Singer

“If Nick brings as much commitment, skill and thoughtfulness to his cooking as he did to acting, singing, and dancing in South of the River, we're in for a gastronomic treat!”

John Riches

Co-ordinator, English National Opera's North Southwark Programme

Nick Nicolaou is a great enthusiast. In the Southwark community opera, South of the River, he threw himself into acting and singing and made every kind of commitment to ensure that the opera would be a success. He communicated his enthusiasm to colleagues, friends and neighbours, helping to create an audience as well as a show for them to come and see.

He is also an enthusiast for Greek cuisine. He knows how it's developed and he knows how it should be done. He likes making, eating and serving the food and he wants others to share in his enjoyment. The opera was a feast for the eyes and ears and Nick's book should create a feast for the taste buds.

Tom Deveson

Advisory teacher for music, Southwark LEA (1999)