Committee Names L’Espalier Alum Theo Tsilipanos as Chef de Cuisine

Committee chef de cuisine Theo Tsilipanos. / Photo provided

The new chef de cuisine at the sexy Seaport spot Committee is no stranger to the modern Greek cuisine that fuels this ouzeri. Theo Tsilipanos owned a restaurant for eight years in his hometown of Lamia, Greece, before relocating to Boston.

In his new role, Tsilipanos is riffing on the classics, with fresh and simple ingredients. He introduced his menu this week, with new meze like lobster kataifi, a roe dip with shredded phyllo finished with mavrodaphne wine; Greek coffee-rubbed pork tenderloin; Kalamata olive gnocchi; feta loukoumades; a seasonal mushroom fricassee with lemony avgolemono, and more.

Before shipping up to the Seaport, Tsilipanos cooked locally at Sel de la Terre, the Wequassett Resort on Cape Cod, and La Brasa. He was a line cook at L’Espalier, too, where he was a student of the venerable chef James Hackney.

With Tsilipanos taking over the day-to-day (consulting chef Diane Kochilas remains integral to the kitchen team), Committee is bringing back monthly Mediterranean wine pairing dinners every first Wednesday. To kick off the rebooted series on February 1, the chef de cuisine and Kochilas collaborated on a taste of Tsilipanos’ homeland, with dishes of Lamia and wines from central Greece selected by wine director Lauren Friel. Check out the six-course menu below.

ON THE TABLE
Babanatsa: homemade cornbread with greens

FIRST COURSE
Greens Salad with Winter Fruit & Grilled Formaella Cheese
Wine: Mylonas Savatiano

SECOND COURSE
Trahanopita with Shaved Bottargo Mesolongiou and Lemon Zest
Wine: Harlaftis Attiki Chardonnay

THIRD COURSE
Red Snapper ‘Kontosouvli’ with Celery Avgolemono
Wine: Domaine Vassiliou ‘Siban’

FOURTH COURSE
Kelemia – Whole Baked Onions Stuffed with Ground Meat and Kefalograviera
Wine: Kourtaki Retsina

FIFTH COURSE
Kapamas – Lamb Stew with Warm Spices, Wine and Tomatoes / Served over Bobota (Cornmeal Cream with Feta)
Wine: Muses Estate ‘9 Muses’ Rosé

DESSERT
Pasteli with Greek Yoghurt Mousse with Chestnut Syrup
Muses Estate ‘Zacharias’ Tsipouro

Lamia / Central Greece Wine Dinner, $125 per person, advance reservations required, Wednesday, February 1, 7-9 p.m., Committee, 50 Northern Ave., Seaport, Boston, 617-727-5051, committeeboston.com.