The restaurant, founded by Alkis and Lydia Strimenos, invites a royal couple to renew their vows under their country’s rite, as a tribute to their own love story. During the evening, some of the typical rituals of Greek weddings were recreated, such as the exchange of wreaths, the sirtaki dance or the iconic moment of breaking the plates. Kuzina thus commemorates nine years of history as a leading Greek restaurant in Valencia, sharing the essence of meraki and philoxenia with diners and friends.
In the heart of Valencia, there’s a corner where Greece comes alive every day. It’s Kuzina , the restaurant founded by Alkis and Lydia Strimenos exactly nine years ago. Theirs is a love story: for gastronomy and for Greece, but also the one they’ve shared since the restaurant was founded. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the way they chose to commemorate their ninth anniversary was by recreating one of the most symbolic traditions of their home country: a grand Greek wedding .
The celebration took place last Thursday, May 29th , at their restaurant on Comte d’Almodóvar Street and brought together the press, friends of the restaurant, industry influencers, influencers , and honoured guests, such as the Greek Consul in Valencia. “At the restaurant, we’ve seen everything from engagement parties to couples who came as engaged couples and are now coming with their grown children. It’s wonderful to feel like you’re part of so many people’s stories,” says Lydia. All of this was captured in an anniversary party, where the spotlight fell on a royal couple who, after ten years of marriage, decided to renew their vows in a symbolic ceremony.
This event, full of emotion and fun, served both to pay tribute to their own love story and to offer attendees an immersive experience in Greek culture, so present in Kuzina’s daily life. As master of ceremonies, journalist Vicent Marco, also president of the Union of Valencian Journalists, sealed the renewal of vows for the chosen couple through the restaurant’s social media channels. All this took place on a night filled with nods to Greek traditions, as well as symbolic rituals and surprises for guests.
Wedding traditions
Dressed in the colours of the Greek flag and a laurel wreath, Vicent Marco welcomed the partygoers, embracing the spirit of meraki —the passion put into everything one does—and philoxenia —hospitality, understood as part of Greek identity. These two values have accompanied Kuzina throughout its history in Valencia, where it has positioned itself as the benchmark Greek restaurant, paving the way for this type of recipe book among locals.
The pivotal moment was the vow renewal of a royal couple, Federica Bertolini and Ronny Calisti, who wanted to join in the anniversary celebrations by submitting as candidates on Kuzina’s social media platform during a pre-event contest. The ceremony began with an evocation of the bond between Alkis and Lydia, but from there, the story unfolded through various rituals with a strong emotional and cultural impact.
- 🇬🇷 First, a glass of Greek Retsina wine served to represent the life shared between two people: its sweet moments, and also its bitter ones.
- 🇬🇷 Then, the exchange of crowns took place : two laurel circles were placed on the heads of the protagonists, as dictated by Greek wedding tradition, symbolizing the union of two paths.
- 🇬🇷 After that gesture, the couple shared their renewed vows and followed the traditional sirtaki dance , which concluded with a toast to the cry of “Opa!” .
- 🇬🇷 As the culmination of the ceremony came the most anticipated moment of the night, perhaps because it was the most popular and extravagant ritual: the moment of breaking the plates , one of the most emblematic traditions of the Hellenic country.
The evening was also a celebration of the flavors of Greece. To celebrate, Kuzina prepared a special selection of traditional dishes, including creations such as Santorini fava bean tart with octopus, watermelon salad with feta cheese, classic tzatziki with pita bread, prawns wrapped in kataifi, taramasalata, and giourtlou sliders, among other delicacies from her recipe book. For dessert, two gems of Greek pastry: galaktoboureko and chocolate baklava saragli. All accompanied by Greek wines from Zacharias Wines , local favorites courtesy of the Vicente Gandía winery, and Mythos beer , the country’s iconic brand.
Nine Years of Kuzina: The True Love Story
Founded in 2016 by Alkis and Lydia Strimenos, Kuzina is the most iconic Greek restaurant in Valencia, where there isn’t a wide range of its kind. As you might imagine, the Greek origin comes from Alkis Strimenos, who from the beginning was interested in introducing Lydia to his culture. Although they met in Valencia, she is of English origin, and was surprised when she travelled for the first time to her husband’s homeland. There she met people proud of their cuisine and traditions. It didn’t take long for them to decide to change their lives, as their previous jobs had been different, and to found a restaurant together.
The name “Kuzina” means “kitchen,” but also “home.” And that’s what emanates from this establishment, located on Comte d’Almodóvar Street. We are in a house that brings traditional Greek recipes, always with a modern touch and elegant service. But above all, in a space that welcomes and embraces, where sharing with others is a source of joy. Nine years later, Kuzina remains true to its essence: honouring Hellenic flavors, opening its doors generously, and bringing, every day, a piece of Greece to the center of Valencia. They do it with the same dedication as the first day, and the conviction that every person who walks through their doors contributes, in some way, to writing its history.
And yes, Kuzina’s story is also a love story. It began when Alkis showed up with a box of oranges, which Lydia rejected, thinking it was a joke; it continued with two weddings in different countries, the birth of two children, and the opening of a restaurant that also serves as a cultural bridge between Greece and Spain.
Report by ‘24/7 Valencia’ team
Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’
KUZINA
C/ del Comte d’Almodóvar, 4, Ciutat Vella, 46003 València, Valencia
MORA ABOUT KUZINA
Web: https://www.kuzinavlc.com/
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