'LOVE IN LOCKDOWN' EPISODE 12: 'THE TALE OF TSIAKKOS'

'A little Greek restaurant, a lot of love to give.'

'Tsiakkos & Charcoal' is a Greek Restaurant situated in the heart Maida Vale. With a small exterior and curtains hanging at the front, it's like a secret to those outside what's actually behind. It's a family run restaurant that's been around for forty years and has established quite a name for itself. With it's fresh, beautiful food and caring, passionate staff, it's a stand out location. With traditional, authentic, Greek Cypriot food cooked to perfection and an intimate, cosy atmosphere, it's one to get to know if you don't know and to hold onto if you do. All the food is homemade and cooked at the front of the restaurant as you enter, and chargrilled dishes are cooked on live charcoals, dishes that have been passed through generations. It's a place of celebration, joy and warmth, a buzzing atmosphere of love and sharing conversations and connections as well as food.

As it's a restaurant that is remembered for it's atmosphere and social buzz as well as its cooking, when the Coronavirus pandemic came along, the staff and customers were certainly impacted. Unable to engage socially in groups, share moments face to face and enjoy a sit down meal, some changes were instantly made. Of course, like many restaurants, 'Tsiakkos & Charcoal' had to close its doors and as we go through this third lockdown they remain in that position. However, closed doors doesn't mean closed hearts, and the staff have been continuing to work hard and push through these challenging times to ensure their divine food and support for customers continues with takeaways. 

IN CONVERSATION WITH MICHAEL WORKEYE

Mickey is a 24 year old who works at the restaurant, alongside multiple jobs including being an Actor, he works here and has done so since he was just a young boy. He shares his experience with lockdown, both personally and what it's meant for Tsiakkos. 

'I’ve worked at Tsiakkos since I was a kid. It’s my best mate’s parents restaurant and it’s on the same street as my mums house, and I used to get locked out, a lot. Because I use to forget my keys, a lot', he reveals. 'And so naturally, I would ask to use their phone to call my mum. And she’d always say “I’ll be a little longer than an hour”. And my boss would always say “why don’t you set up the tables.” He’d give me £20 for an hours work and so, I’d pretended to be locked out, a lot', he smiles.

'The restaurant can get extremely busy and yet people will still walk past to go to their homes on the same street and not have a clue what’s behind the curtain', he grins. 'My theory is that the curtain keeps out all the bad people, because we only have good customers', he states. 'During lockdown we’ve had to adapt massively. We rely heavily on birthdays, friends eating out, first dates, anniversaries and all the great reasons people want to eat in a restaurant', he says.

'We love being able to host and give people a night to enjoy and remember. So the first thing we notice when the door is shut is the lack of laughter drifting in from the garden. Or someone asking where the toilet is for the 35th time that night. We are now operating on delivery pick-ups and Deliveroo. We are surviving, because we’re still here, and can’t wait to be back to our normal flow of service. It has been incredibly difficult', he admits.

'My favourite memory was probably the night Jack Black came. I’m kidding, that was the only night I took off for my birthday, and I don’t remember my birthday, but I do remember I missed Jack black eating at Tsiakkos. That one stings. I miss the Special Sunday Suckling Pig & Cocktails night. We would just cook so many dishes off-the-menu and everyone drank cocktails for £20 a head, even I could afford that as a kid after being locked out! So fun, and so many lovely people. A real community night every time', he declares.

'So we’ve had to really strip back the team to manage costs and so I have willingly stood down at the moment. Luckily I teach acting at the weekend and am an actor usually so I can just about get by. I will cycle from Battersea to Maida Vale to pick up a take away once a week though, if you've grown up on Tsiakkos Food, you either have it or die... probably.'

'I guess this past year has forced many adjustments, for the restaurant, for me, for survival. In all honesty I feel like I’m much more aware of time and have been given an opportunity to streamline all my costs and work out exactly how I’m going to work to pay for things. I know that if I teach three times a week and manage to pick up some outreach work I can lay my rent for instance, and I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about shifts covering a specific expense, but it helps understanding how to make ends meet', he observes.

'I’m very lucky, I’ve always been very curious and working as a waiter from the age of twelve meeting tons of people week in week out, I genuinely feel like this time for myself has been a reset button. I love a cheeky Facetime with a mate though, and I've been running a lot. I cannot wait for round two of meeting complete strangers and finding connections with people I didn’t know, and having a laugh with mates. It will be all the more sweeter in the next chapter so I find positivity in knowing that., and for now affording myself time for myself.'