August 26, 2026 | VOL 19
PEOPLE COME to HYDRA
not ONLY for FOOD but FOR a FEELING
words Onur Basturk
Techne’s chef and co-founder Yannis Michalopoulos on Hydra’s creative spirit, slower rhythm, and the island atmosphere behind the restaurant.
What first brought you to Hydra, and what made you decide to stay and build something there?
My first visit to Hydra was closely tied to my life between London and Athens. Although I was living in London at the time, Hydra became the place I escaped to whenever I returned to Athens — somewhere to clear my mind and slow down. Very quickly, the island turned into a personal source of inspiration. When I first arrived around 12 years ago, I realised that despite Hydra’s strong character, it still lacked a distinctive contemporary culinary destination. I saw this as an opportunity to create something modern while staying connected to the island’s culture and spirit.
I WANTED TO CREATE A MODERN RESTAURANT CONNECTED TO THE ISLAND’S SPIRIT
How has Hydra itself shaped your approach to cooking and hospitality?
The island teaches you to slow down, simplify, and focus on what truly matters. It also changes the way you work. Since there are no vehicles on the island, even the movement of products and supplies becomes part of its rhythm. Everything requires planning, patience, and adaptability. Living there pushed me toward a more honest and intuitive style of cooking — one shaped by the sea, the light, and the simplicity of the island rather than unnecessary complexity. At the same time, the island completely changed my understanding of hospitality. People do not come to Hydra only for food — they come for a feeling. That made me realize hospitality is really about atmosphere, emotion, and connection. I wanted Techne to reflect exactly what Hydra gave me personally: inspiration, calmness, and a genuine sense of belonging.
How would you describe the philosophy behind the kitchen at Techne today, and which dishes best represent it? And one personal question — do you still serve the lemon pasta I tried and loved?
The philosophy behind the kitchen at Techne is rooted in balance — between tradition and modern technique, simplicity and precision, and respect for ingredients and creativity. It’s about reinterpreting familiar Greek flavours in a way that feels contemporary, but never disconnected from their origin.
The sea urchin cacio e pepe with fresh summer truffles is probably the clearest example of that approach. It’s the dish you probably remember as the lemon pasta, but evolved through technique, seasonality, and greater depth of flavour.
Another key dish is the homemade dolmadaki with smoked yoghurt, tomato yuzu jam, and marinated white anchovies. It reflects what Techne tries to do: respect tradition while introducing acidity, smoke, freshness, and more contemporary layers of flavour.
The Amygdaloto with fresh figs, white chocolate, and yoghurt namelaka revisits Greek dessert traditions through a lighter and more modern texture. And finally, the kataifi-wrapped prawns from Mikrolimano bring together land and sea, sweetness and crispness, tradition and refinement in a very direct way.
Are there local ingredients or traditions from Hydra that continue to shape the menu?
Yes — Hydra and the wider eastern Peloponnese have a strong culinary identity, and several local ingredients continue to shape the menu. Fresh fish is at the centre of everything. The daily catch around the island is exceptionally fresh and seasonal, so we try to respect that simplicity in the dishes.
Sea urchins are deeply connected to the area and are usually served very simply, allowing the ingredient to speak for itself. Red prawns from nearby Kilada also play an important role — their sweetness inspired our prawn Bloody Mary dish, where those flavours are interpreted in a more contemporary way. We also use local kritamo (rock samphire), which brings a saline, herbal brightness tied closely to the landscape.
Calamari from the waters around Hydra is especially tender and naturally sweet, making it another local staple. And finally, olive oil from Kranidi remains essential — rich yet balanced, and deeply connected to the character of the region.
HYDRA HAS A RHYTHM YOU ONLY UNDERSTAND ONCE YOU EXPERIENCE IT
Many people still associate Hydra with Leonard Cohen and the artistic community of the 1960s. Do you feel that creative spirit is still part of the island’s identity, or has Hydra changed completely?
The creative spirit remains deeply part of Hydra’s identity, even if it has evolved. Leonard Cohen and the artists of the 1960s gave the island an international cultural image, but the deeper reasons creatives were drawn there — the quietness, the beauty, the sense of isolation and reflection — still exist today. Tourism and global attention have changed certain aspects of the island, yet Hydra hasn’t lost its soul.
People often come to Hydra for a few days and keep returning for years. Why do you think the island has that effect?
Hydra has a rhythm you only understand once you experience it. People return because the island removes much of the noise of modern life without ever feeling remote. The absence of cars slows everything down — movement, conversations, even the way people notice the sea, the changing harbour light, or each other. That shift changes how people feel surprisingly quickly.
There’s also something about the scale of Hydra. It becomes familiar fast, yet never fully reveals itself. Even after many visits, people keep discovering new paths, quieter corners, and different views. The island’s mix of locals, artists, sailors, and seasonal visitors creates a quiet openness too — you can be social or completely anonymous, and both feel natural.
Then there’s the emotional side, which is harder to explain. The light, the stone, the sea, and the simplicity of daily life create a real sense of ease. People often arrive for a few days and leave feeling connected to a different pace of living — one that stays with them long after they leave.
THE PERFECT HYDRA DAY ISN’T REALLY ABOUT EVENTS
What does a perfect Hydra day look like for you personally?
Morning would start slowly — just a coffee by the harbour while the island is still quiet, boats moving gently and the light soft on the stone. That’s usually when I like to read. Hydra is one of those places where reading feels natural, almost as if the island gives you permission to slow down. Later, maybe a walk without much direction — through the alleys or along quieter paths where the sea keeps appearing between the houses. In April especially, the air carries wild herbs and flowers from the hills.
Lunch would be simple but important: mezedes shared slowly, fresh fish, grilled vegetables, taramosalata, and good tsipouro on the table. Nothing excessive, just enough to let the conversation stretch out. Then comes the long Hydra afternoon — no real agenda, maybe another swim, more reading, or simply doing nothing at all, which somehow feels easier there. By evening, a few friends join, conversations drift between stories and ideas, and eventually dinner somewhere quiet as the light fades over the harbour.
The perfect Hydra day isn’t really about events. It’s about how the island slowly takes control of your pace, until you stop trying to fill time and simply let it unfold.
- The full story is featured in Vol.19 -
