Giorgios Bakatsias

Thought Architect

Giorgios Nikolas Bakatsias, the Southeast’s most prolific and visionary restaurateur, boasts over 30 years of experience in the culinary industry. He has been the creative force behind countless dining restaurants, food venues, and gourmet markets. From conception to opening, Bakatsias directs all aspects of the creative process, including concept development and branding, architectural and interior design, selection of key management, lighting, textiles, and furniture. His appreciation for the guest experience, intuitive sense of cutting-edge trends in dining, and talent for menu composition have garnered the attention and praise of local and national food critics alike. Giorgios learned to cook at the foot of his mother’s stove in the quiet village of Karista, Greece. He immigrated with his family to the United States at the age of 12. His parents’ small diner, above which the family lived, was his first introduction to Durham, North Carolina and the American way of life. He then obtained a global culinary education, learning in the kitchens of Paris, New York, and the Mediterranean. At 23, he had already developed several restaurantproperties and conceived of dozens more. Giorgios Bakatsias is known not only as one of North Carolina’s top restaurateurs and restaurant design consultants, but also as a source of boundless energy, an unmistakable laugh, and eternal optimism. Giorgios believes that his story proves, “if you embrace life, it will yield untold experiences and love.”