By Dimitra Manifava

The government is preparing a plan for the promotion of Greek cuisine abroad with the support of the Next Generation EU fund. The plan foresees the creation of apps that will allow users to use their smartphones or computers to locate the nearest Greek restaurant, procure Greek products available near them (or have them sent by post or courier), as well as find recipes and nutritional information, among other functions.

This forms part of a broader plan to help Greek gastronomy reach a wider market, aimed at linking it with other sectors of the local economy, from the primary sector to manufacturing and from food service and tourism to exports.

The plan provides for the certification – through a mark of authenticity – of Greek food service enterprises in Greece and abroad. The idea is to hallmark not only restaurants but also other enterprises in the sector, such as Greek street food outlets (e.g. kebab shops, bakeries and pastry shops), as they also constitute an important section of the Greek gastronomic tradition. The same hallmark could also be awarded to wineries, olive oil producers and even delicatessens on the condition they satisfy specific criteria.

To obtain this mark of authenticity, enterprises will have to use products made in Greece or Greek recipes. Such products could include dairy delicacies, fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood, olive oil, olives, honey, nuts, potatoes, wine, spirits, and pasta. For restaurants abroad that do not have access to such products, the requirements will be modified.

A key part of the plan is to develop a digital map that will recommend locations of gastronomic interest, creating routes to explore local products and Greek cuisine as part of the visitor experience. That could incorporate information on special gastronomic events such as the Naxos Potato Festival or the Tselementes Festival on Sifnos. It may also provide details on local products and recipes, restaurants with the Greek cuisine hallmark, wineries open to visitors, mills, olive presses, farms, small breweries and even videos on how Greek food and drinks are made.

All this is aimed at attracting additional tourists as well drawing previous visitors back or even encouraging them to seek out Greek products in their own countries.

This article was first published on ekathimerini.com.