Title: Reclaiming Fire
Program: Traditional, Illegal — A Series of Food Activism Events conceived by Nikos Karaflos for Dexamenes
Location: Kourouta, Dexamenes, dex.Silo.01
There are rituals older than laws. They exist not as artifacts but as continuities — active, transmitted, lived. This is not a culinary anecdote. It is a record. A moment marked not by rebellion, but by a quiet act of preservation.
At the center stands Panagiotis Siafakas, cook and custodian of tradition of Nomade et Sauvage, whose practice originates not in formal instruction but in transmission. From Ioannina, in the region of Epirus, he carries with him the unbroken memory of rural Greek cooking. There is no embellishment in his method — only necessity, precision, and care.
On Sunday, June 29, at Dexamenes Seaside Hotel in Kourouta, Ilis, Siafakas entered the 4956-liter disused wine silo. Cylindrical, six meters high, and ten across — it became the stage, the oven, the sanctuary of an open fire cooking occasion.
Open fire cooking, according to Greek law (Law 998/1979 and Civil Protection guidelines), is prohibited between May 1st and October 31st. The intent is to prevent wildfires — a necessary caution. However, the regulation also suspends traditional foodways, many of which are seasonal and rural. The fire used here was technically questionable. But it was also meticulously tended — controlled, localized, contained with sand and respect.
No formal permission was sought. To do so would be to turn tradition into exhibition, to flatten it under bureaucratic scrutiny. Instead, the gesture remained unannounced. Inside the silo, fire was restored to its function — not hazard but medium. Bread was prepared on-site by filmmaker and master baker of sourdough Mihalis Pogosian, who has turned his creative inquiry toward fermentation and dough. He arrived with his sourdough and joined Siafakas inside the silo.
The bread was lowered onto hot embers — fire resting beneath sand, wood charred to precision. He then collected Roditis and Avgoustiatis vine leaves outside the silo and used them to wrap a common dentex, which was buried in the sand to cook.
When they emerged, their scent marked the space with presence. The loaf and fish were torn by hand and passed around — not consumed as food, but offered as a gesture.
The fire was buried. No trace left behind.
Regulations impose control — and often rightly so. But within those laws lie unintended consequences: the erasure of techniques, gestures, and forms of knowledge that resist codification. This event neither romanticized the past nor rejected the present. It simply enacted a practice that predated both.
To cook in an open fire within the bounds of prohibition is not simply an act of defiance. It is an intervention. It restores fire to the domestic, the communal, and the cultural. The performance is invisible to policy, but legible to memory. It is heritage that eludes the state — not because it resists authority, but because it obeys a deeper logic.
text: Georgia Kotretsos
creative direction: Georgia Kotretsos, Nikos Karaflos
photography, videography: Giagkos Papadopoulos
assistant videographer: Konstantinos Rigoulis
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Georgia Kotretsos, Visual Artist | Founder of THE TEΛΟΣ SOCIETY
The “BREAKING BREAD” initiative, part of THE ΤΕΛΟΣ SOCIETY’s “BREAD & CHARCOAL” research program, meets “Traditional, Illegal — A Series of Food Activism Events”, initiated by Dexamenes through the joint invitation of Panagiotis Siafakas (Nomade et Sauvage) for the Reclaiming Fire event.
BREAD & CHARCOAL was launched in 2023 under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports to mark the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
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Dexamenes, a post war winery converted into a meaningful-luxury hotel is an example of how hospitality can be reimagined through culture, sustainability, and community impact. Located on the western coast of the Peloponnese in a former 1920s wine factory, Dexamenes seamlessly blends industrial heritage with contemporary design. More than just a luxury destination, it functions as a vibrant cultural center—hosting art exhibitions, performances, and community-driven events that celebrate local traditions and creativity.
With a deep respect for its historical roots, Dexamenes honors the architecture and memory of the site, transforming disused wine tanks into minimalist suites without erasing the past. Its approach to sustainability is equally thoughtful, prioritizing environmental stewardship and supporting local producers and artisans.
By redefining what it means to be a hotel, Dexamenes fosters meaningful connections between guests, the local community, and the land itself—setting a new standard for conscious travel and cultural hospitality.
Nomade et Sauvage is a culinary collective rooted in tradition. For nearly eight years, Iordanis Tseneklidis, Panagiotis Siafakas, and Mihalis Pogosian have been cooking and traveling, reviving the language of fire. Their tools are simple: iron cookware, wooden crates filled with the fruits of gardens, and the slow alchemy of flame. They do not reenact tradition — they embody it. From snowy mountain dawns to muddy or sun-scorched roads, their cooking becomes a living act of memory and presence. Through open fire and seasonal ingredients, Nomade et Sauvage creates ephemeral rituals of nourishment that connect land, body, and culture. Each meal is not only food but a testament to continuity — a form of resistance against disconnection, speed, and the industrialization of taste.
THE ΤΕΛΟΣ SOCIETY, Arts & Culture Research Lab Observatorium is a nonprofit research organisation and publisher registered in Athens, Greece. Through the filter of philosophy, science, technology, and spirituality, TTS focuses on the transdisciplinary production of speculative knowledge as that is perceived in the creative arts & culture in Greece. TTS operates in rural Greece, borderland, remote areas on the verge of abandonment by continuously challenging the known creative edges of our world. TTS advocates for a viable visual-diet, an ecology of art production and equal opportunity under the larger umbrella of ECOTOPIA: Visual, Mental and Environmental Economy, Ecology and Ecosystemology. As for our work abroad, TTS is connecting the North with the South and the East with the West, we endeavour to foster exchanges, collaborations, and publications in the Balkans, the rest of Europe, in the wider region of the Mediterranean, and MENA.
thetelossociety.com | @thetelossociety | thetelossociety@gmail.com
Giagkos Papadopoulos is a videographer and visual storyteller based in Athens, Greece. Specializing in cinematic content, drone videography, and travel films, he combines creativity with technical expertise to capture authentic moments and captivating visuals. Whether working on a brand, an event, or a personal project, Giagkos focuses on creating content that resonates with audiences and tells stories beyond the frame. His journey began with photography, a foundation that continues to influence his approach to videography today—prioritizing framing, light, and emotion. With a deep passion for visual art and a solid background in editing and production, he is constantly seeking fresh perspectives and innovative ways to bring ideas to life on screen.
