Former Gauteng foodie aficionado Alexi Kyriacou has found his culinary mojo in Ballito.

The lively new owner of Abbiocco, the Greco-Italian fusion restaurant at Burnedale Farm, is fast building up a loyal customer base. Abbiocco was voted Best Bistro in The North Coast Courier’s Best of Ballito Readers’ Choice Awards last year.

Before buying the restaurant, Kyriacou had forged a friendship with the previous owners, Coenie Kruger and Johan Hurter, while holidaying in Ballito.

After the death of his mother, Kyriacou wanted a change. That change came in the form of an unexpected phone call. Kruger and Hurter were moving to Thailand! They insisted they would close Abbiocco unless he bought it.

The single father of three packed up his life and drove his three children from Nigel to the North Coast to begin again. He started in the kitchen, two days later.

Kyriacou knows how hard it is for outsiders to break into small communities, especially in business.

“I was under a lot of pressure when I took over Abbiocco,” he said. “Small towns tend to be cliquey, and everyone loved Coenie and Johan. But I’ve made good friends since moving to Ballito.

“The North Coast has a good sense of community, and the people have welcomed me and my family. When you treat people well and have a good heart, people reciprocate. People like a personal touch in an intimate setting since you do not get many owner-run restaurants anymore. By the time my guests leave, we are family.”

Of Cypriot heritage, Kyriacou has been in the food business his entire life. His brother still runs the family takeaway in the East Rand.

Kyriacou also has an ice-cream distribution contract in KZN, but he needed another income to grow this business, which is partly why he bought Abbiocco.

He does all the baking and makes the ice-cream in-store, and he also caters for private clients and corporate functions.

Word has travelled about his traditional Cypriot lamb souvla, cooked over an open hardwood fire every Friday night and Sunday afternoon.

“My motto is simple: Passion and good food,” he added. “I serve my patrons the same food I’d serve my guests at home, using only the best ingredients. If the ingredients are not the best, your food can never be the best.”

Kyriacou never went to culinary school; he learned his trade at home. He describes himself as a fussy cook, not a chef. Like all Mediterranean people, he is emotional about family and food.

“I come from a family of foodies. I learned everything from spending time in the kitchen with my mother, grandmother, and aunt. My daughter Mia often makes desserts for the restaurant and people love them – you could say it’s a family business.”

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