So, tastings sorted. Now we have to name the thing; then give it a face...
What's In A Name?
But how do you come up with a name for a fusion that doesn’t exist anywhere else, is punchy, intriguing, and somehow encapsulates the character of not just us, but the brand we’re building?
Sometimes, You Just Need A Walk.
It might amuse you to know that after two weeks of wracking our brains out, the answer was to go for a walk. It’ll slap you like a pie in the face as you stride across a Zebra Crossing—Crosswalk for our American brethren, like The Beatles on Abbey Road.
GREEK + TINGS
But What Does 'Us' Look Like?
After that… well, coming up with a design was… interesting. No, you can’t see the demos. But it did start to come together once we settled on the national fruit for each country. On the left, Jamaica’s famed sunset yellow-orange shells of ackee. And the right, the olives of wisdom, peace, and prosperity for the ancients of Greece.
Meet Our Founders
A Little Music, Dance & Jamaican Food
Raised in a house full of music, dance and traditional Jamaican food, it was only natural that Shelley learnt to cook at the side of her mother and step-father.
And Then Everything Changed
Before the pandemic, Shelley was a passionate professional dancer, performing and working across a wide range of styles that took her around the world. When everything shifted, so did her career — giving her the chance to let her love of food and hospitality truly flourish. Along the way came cocktails, mixology and wine training, adding a few more strings (and bottles) to her bow.
From Dance Floors To Golf Courses
Her hospitality career has taken her from private members’ clubs and cocktail bars to royal venues, from Silverstone to Queen’s Club, looking after everyone from members of the Royal Family to some very familiar faces from the worlds of sport and entertainment. In 2023, it took her across the pond too, managing food and beverage operations across the North American leg of the LIV Golf Tour from March through to October of that year.
Professional Rider Of Chaos
Today, Shelley brings that treasure trove of experience to Greek Tings, looking after the people, the drinks and everything happening around the food. She’s a mixologist, wine enthusiast and a rider of chaos — somehow making the whole thing look as graceful as a horse in dressage.
Yannis is the organised one. Naturally. She just makes the chaos look good.
Where It All Started
Yannis grew up in Evia, an island at the heart of Greece, a stone’s throw from Athens. He spent much of his time with his Yia-yia, learning how to cook at her side while his mother was busy running and teaching at her English school. It was with his Yia-yia that he came to understand what honest food, classic flavours and really good ingredients can do for a meal — and that grandmothers are rarely wrong about these things.
From Evia To The Highlands
After finishing formal cooking school and his National Service, Yannis grabbed the opportunity to head for the Scottish Highlands with both hands. Once there, he joined Gleneagles for five years and fell in love with fine dining. His journey eventually took him further south, through kitchens including Hélène Darroze and The Fat Duck, alongside others of similar calibre.
The Occasional Familiar Face
Michelin-starred kitchens, private chef work and the occasional very famous face followed — Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa have both made appearances on the menu, so to speak.
His Brain Refused To Sit Still
Those kitchens gave Yannis precision, discipline and a much broader palate, but their rigid structure didn’t always agree with a mind that rarely stops producing ideas. Greek Tings changed that. Every event is different, every menu brings something new , and that maelstrom of ideas finally has somewhere to go.
Then Tzatziki Met Curry Mutton
Yannis & Shelley shape the menus together, with him having the final say when it comes to the culinary details.
And somewhere amongst all of that came the accidental pairing of his homemade tzatziki with Shelley’s curry mutton — the moment they realised Greek and Jamaican food didn’t just sit happily together, but could become something entirely their own.
These days, Yannis directs, steers and occasionally cajoles the madness. Then Shelley makes it look pretty, sates it with booze, stories, and a good old pat on the back.
Now, enough about us, let us know what we’re making for you, here
