SILO LOVE: Dexamenes Seaside Hotel, Greece
Where grape must once fermented, ideas, art and cuisine now begin to ferment
Where grape must once fermented, the culinary and artistic ideas of Nikos Karaflos now develop their own fermentation – inside a silo of a former wine factory. Yet that description falls short. The Imagineer, as he calls himself, transforms the circular building into a fine dining venue and at the same time into a performative think tank. It is a fascinating interplay of art, architecture, history, wine and food.
A Seaside Wine Factory – Reimagined
A seaside wine factory, rethought as a luxury hotel. Preserving the past, refined with elegance and complemented by extraordinary events that ritually connect cuisine and art.
The raw beauty of the abandoned 1920s wine factory on the edge of the ocean in the western Peloponnese immediately captivated Nikos Karaflos. But what does a trained engineer do with such a complex? Quite a lot, as it turned out.
With the Dexamenes Seaside Hotel, a unique place for hospitality has emerged, uniting Brutalism and elegance. At the center of the complex stand the two massive steel tanks, left almost untouched. Their patina reflects in the water that atmospherically frames the structures. Walking across concrete slabs taken from another part of the factory, accompanied by a distinctive acoustic atmosphere, one approaches the silo step by step. Here, the experiences curated by Nikos Karaflos take shape.
dex.Silo.01 – Rituals Inside a Steel Cylinder
Under the name dex.Silo.01, one of the two steel tanks is regularly transformed into diverse scenographies. Performed ritualistically, the events are sometimes accessible to guests and at other times intentionally conceived as art performances.
Zymosis Experience – Fine Dining & Fermentation
The Zymosis Experience stands for fine dining with a focus on fermentation – that natural process inseparably linked to the history of the place. Guests from various fields such as winemakers, brewers or bakers contribute their respective expertise.
The dishes reflect the region and the season – vegetables, handmade pasta, olive oil … and of course Peloponnesian wine.
Full Moon, No Moon – Cuisine as Lunar Ritual
Full Moon, No Moon is entirely dedicated to the full moon or the new moon. Impressive video productions and a specially composed soundtrack create the setting for an intense, almost ritualistic dinner.
The experience feels like a lunar ritual – while at the same time impressively showcasing Nikos Karaflos’ original profession.
Traditional, Illegal – Cuisine as Artistic Protest
In the circular, open-air silo, events under the name Traditional, Illegal also take place. They go beyond the mere enjoyment of food and aim to raise awareness of cultural, social or ecological issues.
The unique performances place cultural, social or environmental challenges at the forefront. It is an artistic protest against the ban on open-fire bread baking, against mandatory milk pasteurization – and a tribute to the rediscovery and appreciation of ancient plant seeds.
Architecture, History and Vision
Where grape must once fermented, the ideas of Imagineer Nikos Karaflos now ferment. As a creative builder, he creates frameworks that give space to visions. He connects people with places, past ways of thinking with present ones – and a 5,000-hectoliter silo with love.
