ABOUT OUR CHEF
Maria Elia is head chef at Delfina, the restaurant at Delfina Gallery on London’s Southbank, where she has been for the past nine years.
Originally a canteen for artists, Delfina’s has evolved into a hugely popular restaurant and destination in its own right.
Maria's highly-praised menu changes fortnightly and reflects her adventurous, distinctive and no-boundaries style of cooking.
Her love affair with food started as a child when she watched her Greek-Cypriot father cooking in his restaurant.
She trained for five years and undertook her apprentice at Café Royal’s Grill Room where she was one of the first female chefs to have worked there.
Maria went on to work in some of London’s leading kitchens, before working in restaurants in Europe and the Far East.
A familiar face on Great Food Live, Maria also contributes to Olive and Waitrose magazines, and teaches at The Ethnic Authentic Cooking School in London.