Inspired by the cooking in her Cypriot father's restaurant, Maria knew from the tender age of four that she wanted to be a chef. After a rigorous apprenticeship in some of London's leading, testosterone-fuelled kitchens, Maria took positions in a wide range of restaurants in the UK and abroad. An adventurous stint as chef onboard a private yacht concluded when the call of Stephen Terry’s globally renowned COAST saw her cooking on dry land again. Through travelling, Maria has become familiar with many food cultures. She has spent time cooking at the legendary EL BULLI and ARZAK restaurants in Spain as well as The Oriental Cooking School in Bangkok. These experiences were to prove invaluable in Maria's first Head Chef role at London's DELFINA restaurant, a position she held for almost a decade. Prior to taking charge of the South Kensington kitchen of JOE’S, Maria opened the WHITECHAPEL GALLERY DINING ROOM where she gained rave reviews and 2AA rosettes, not forgetting a Michelin recommendation too.
A whirlwind of energy and passion, Maria enjoys playing with people’s palates. She has left her overtly experimental, molecular days behind and with the use of a flavour-obsessed imagination and mind maps creates menus comprising of a tight collection of deceptively simple, multi-layered dishes.
Maria contributes regularly to Olive, BBC Good Food, Sainsbury’s magazines. Her many TV appearances include the Good Food Channel's Great Food Live, Daily Cooks, Perfect, and Market Kitchen. An acclaimed first book - The Modern Vegetarian - was published in 2009. Maria’s second book by Kyle Books, Full of Flavour: Create… How To Think Like A Chef was published in Autumn 2011. Maria also fronted the Good Food Channel TV Show My Kitchen in October 2011.
Flavour Forecast
Herbs and spices company, Schwartz, in partnership with its parent company, McCormick, is releasing its first ever global Flavour Forecast 2012, showcasing its leadership in culinary trends and innovation. Flavour Forecast highlights the six hottest global themes for this year brought to life through 12 regional flavour combinations.
To bring this year’s culinary trends and flavour combinations to life in the UK, Schwartz is collaborating with Maria Elia, who has added her twist on Flavour Forecast by developing six contemporary new recipes.
As an experienced chef, Maria is very passionate about being on top of culinary and flavour trends and was very excited to work with Schwartz on their Flavour Forecast 2012. Maria had fun experimenting with her favourite flavour combinations and creating innovative recipes, applying a fresh perspective on tradition that balances modern tastes and cultural authenticity.