Argiro Barbarigou “Papadaki”

She was born and raised in Naoussa, Paros.
From a young age, she developed a love for cooking. Self-taught in the kitchen during her early steps, she absorbed every bit of knowledge and documented her culinary experiments in detail. She collected information about ingredients, seasonality, preservation methods, and forgotten cooking techniques.
After completing her general education, she returned to Paros and took over the family-run hotel business.

In 1996, driven by her desire to promote the gastronomy of the Greek islands, the seasonality of Greek cuisine, and the exceptional local products, she ventured into professional catering with an emphasis on exemplary island hospitality. She opened the restaurant “Papadakis” in the harbor of Naoussa, Paros—her hometown—where she cooked exclusively with seasonal local products from the Cyclades.

Her food quickly gained a loyal following, and everyone wanted to taste the creations of the self-taught chef from Paros, Argiro Barbarigou. Greek and international publications frequently referenced Papadakis and Argiro. In 2005, she took the next step in her career by opening Papadakis in Athens, which by then had already become a top gastronomic destination in the Cyclades for nearly a decade.

Upon her arrival in Athens, her name and her philosophy of local cuisine skyrocketed in recognition. She was the first chef of her generation to proudly and faithfully incorporate traditional Cycladic recipes into the uniquely internationalized Athenian dining scene of the 2000s. Her venture was a huge success—so much so that humble dishes like revithada (chickpea stew), forgotten fava, and seafood fricassée are now featured in nearly every respectable restaurant menu in the city.

In 2010, she created the cooking website www.argiro.gr, a project she continues to curate and update daily with her experienced team.

For over 20 years, she has traveled across Greece, documenting local recipes with the aim of preserving and spreading the country’s gastronomic wealth—especially to the new generation of chefs.

She has proudly and devotedly represented Greece in international events across Europe, the USA, Canada, and Asia, passionately promoting Greek cuisine.
She was honored by the European Union with the title “Ambassador of Gastronomy”, receiving the Culture & Gastronomic Heritage Award as Chef Argiro Barbarigou.

Education

Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School, London, UK – Professional Seminars (2004–2005)
Pastry Chef Σχολή, Stelios Parliaros, Athens, GREECE – Professional Seminars
Ecole du Grand Chocolat Valrhona, Tain L’ Hermitage, FRANCE – Professional Seminars

Professional Experience

2005-Present: Owner and Executive Chef, Papadakis restaurant, Athens (15 Fokilidou, Kolonaki)
1996-2004: Owner and Executive Chef, Papadakis restaurant, Naoussa, Paros
1988-1996: Manager, Papadakis Hotel, Naoussa, Paros

Awards & Honors

2022-Present: Gastronomy Ambassador of the Northern Aegean
2019: Culture & Gastronomic Heritage Award, Chef Argiro Barbarigou
2019: Greek Top Women of the Year
2019-2025: Represented Greek Cuisine for the United Nations’ World Milk Day Global Campaigns
2018: Award of Excellence – Montreal, Canada – For outstanding commitment to promoting Greek culinary tourism.
2018: Honored guest chef at the World Association of Chefs Societies Conference in Malaysia
2017-Present: Aegean Cuisine Ambassador – European Region of Gastronomy 2019
2017: President of the Jury Panel, European Young Chef Award – Barcelona, Spain
2017: Represented Greek Cuisine at 32nd Annual Chefs’ Tribute to CITYMEALS – Manhattan, NY
2016-2025: Represented Greek Cuisine in the UN Pulses Global Campaign
2011: Honored for promoting Greek cuisine in the USA – Epicurean Chef Club of Boston, MA
2011: Best Woman Chef Cookbook in the World: “Argyro: Everyday Greek”, Gourmand Awards, Paris
2009: Greek Cuisine Award for Papadakis – Toques d’Or by Athenorama Magazine
2009: Honored for the global promotion of Greek cuisine – LE MONDE Institute of Hotel & Tourism Studies, Athens
2008: Woman of the Year (Best Woman Chef category) – LIFE & STYLE Magazine, Lyberis Publications
2002: Best Local Cuisine Cookbook – “Recipes of the Aegean”, Gourmand Awards, Paris
2006-2007: Greek Cuisine Award – Papadakis restaurant, Gourmet Magazine

Culinary Teaching

2022: Greek Cuisine Seminar – National Geographic Food Festival, London
2019: Greek Cuisine Seminar – National Geographic Traveler Food Festival, London
2018: Seminar on Greek Cuisine – Montreal, Canada (under the auspices of GNTO N. America)
2018-2019: EXPOTROF cooking seminars and promotion of Greek products
2017-2025: Educational cooking seminars – under the auspices of Axion Hellas
2016: Honored at WORLDCHEFS CONGRESS 2016 for presenting Greek cuisine
2013: Presented Greek cuisine at the United States Congress, Washington, DC
2012-2013: Cooking seminars at LE MONDE Institute of Hotel & Tourism Studies
March 2011: Cooking seminars – Arlington, MA, USA
March 2011: Cooking seminar at Everett College, Boston, MA, USA
2008-2009: Healthy cooking seminars for NUTRIMED – various venues in Athens
2004-2005: Nestlé Hellas – Food Consultant and cooking seminars
2003-Present: Cooking seminars organized with municipalities across Greece, promoting local cuisine and products

Television Appearances

2022-2023: To Proino (ANT1)
2020-2022: Ora gia Fagito (SKAI)
2018-2019: Eleni (ALPHA)
2014-2016: Greece on a Plate (ANT1 Satellite)
2014-2016: Tis Alfa ta Zymomata (ANT1)
2013-2025: Keep Cooking – YouTube Cooking Channel
2013-2017: To Proino (ANT1)
2012-2013: Oreo Cooking (ANT1)
2011-2012: Proino ANT1 (ANT1)
2009-2010: 10 me 1 Mazi (ANT1)
2006-2008: Coffee with Eleni (ALPHA)
2003-2004: Beautiful World in the Morning (MEGA)
2002-2003: Kalos Tous (ALPHA)

Print Media

2023-Present: ARGYRO – GREEK CUISINE – Delicious! (Alter Ego Media)
2015-2019: Attikes Ekdoseis
2012-2015: Alpha Editions
2008-2012: Lyberis Publications: 7 Meres TV: Weekly family magazine – Food Columnist & Ego Weekly: Women’s weekly magazine – Food Columnist & HELLO! (Greek edition) – Weekly lifestyle magazine – Food Columnist & 15 deluxe cookbook editions per year included in 7 Meres TV & DVD series “Argyro’s Cooking School” bundled with 7 Meres T

Books

2023: From Mouth to Mouth, Stamoulis Publications
2016: Mike the Little Bean: Cooking with Argyro, Psychogios Publications (Children’s)
2014: My Greece, Ouranos Media
2013: The Experts’ Diet, Alpha Editions
2012: 9 Fairytales and a Wooden Spoon, Kaleidoscope Publications (Children’s)
2010: Argiro: Everyday Greek, Lyberis Publications
2010: Argyro: Greek Every Day, Lyberis Publications
2009: Argyro’s Cooking, Fereniki Publications
2007: In the Kitchen with Argyro, Fereniki Publications
2006: Argyres Zaraboukitses, Kedros Publications (Children’s)
2006: Taste, A.A. Livanis Publications
2002: Recipes of the Aegean, A.A. Livanis Publications

Newspapers

2023-2025: TO VIMA – Monthly cookbook editions & editorial advisor for Greek Cuisine section
June-July 2012: Proto Thema – 3 special best-selling cookbook editions
March-April 2011: Proto Thema – Special Editions: “Recipes from Argyro” (Bestsellers)
2006-2008: Kathimerini, Gastronomos magazine – Monthly contributor and recipe editor

Memberships

Axion Hellas: Supporter & active member (2017–present)
SOS Children’s Villages: Supporter & active member (2009–present)
Hellenic Cancer Society – Breast Division: Supporter & active member
Kivotos Foundation (Children’s charity): Supporter (2009–2013)
Greek Community of Massachusetts: Supporter, member, and donor of St. Athanasius Church – Arlington, MA, USA