Greek Australians of all ages — mostly the younger generation— got a ‘A Taste of Lemnos’ as traditional aromas, flavours, and sounds brought the Northern Aegean island’s spirit to Melbourne.
Organised by the Lemnian Youth of Victoria and Philhellene Provincial Greek Cuisine the event attracted around 70 attendees—exceeding the planned 60 to 65 guests due to high demand.
Held in a warm, family-like atmosphere, ‘A Taste of Lemnos’ transformed Philhellene restaurant into a celebration of the island’s rich culture and heritage on Thursday, 26 June.
Speaking with Neos Kosmos, Helena Kayalicos, a member of the Lemnian Youth of Victoria committee, said the broader goal of the event was “to promote and encourage other youth like ourselves to get involved and support our Greek heritage and culture.”
Reflecting on the night’s event, she said it was about celebrating “what it means to be Greek and what it means to be Greek Australian.”
“Greek Australians have their own sort of twist and spin on what it means to come from Greek heritage so it was just about celebrating that and encouraging the youth to get involved in any way that they can and just have fun.”
While the night had a clear Lemnian focus, Kayalicos said it was open to all.
“It wasn’t just for people of Lemnian heritage … But for those that do come from Lemnos, it just had that extra sense of specialness.”
What Kayalicos particularly enjoyed about the night was “how it all flowed so naturally and just became such a fun event.”
“It was promoted as just ‘come have a good meal, get to know the people you’re sitting with, have fun and listen to some good live music.'”
As the night went on, it became clear that everyone wanted to dance.
Antonis Pistikakis on bouzouki and Yiannis Katiforis on keyboard and vocals led people of all ages on a musical journey to the homeland, filling the night with traditional sounds, lively dancing, and heartfelt singing.
“We had to move some tables out of the way and everyone ended up dancing,” Kayalicos said.
Guests enjoyed a table decorated with olive branches and filled with Greek favourites—from saganaki and chicken souvlaki to hilopites and sweet loukoumades.
The event’s success highlighted how tradition can connect generations, bring the community closer, and keep the shared memory of the Lemnian diaspora alive.
As for future plans to grow events like this and involve more people, Kayalicos said that is “definitely” in the works.
The Lemnian Community Youth of Victoria has already developed connections with the Palaconian, Pontian, and Cretan youth committees.
Their next collaborative club night is set for 16 August at Ballers Clubhouse in Carlton.
“We want to work together as much as possible,” Kayalicos said.
