An interview with Dimitri Kallianis-
"The restaurants are what we do, but our family is who we are."
In previous newsletters we promised the details about the Shanty's expansion plans and we began this month, above. A restaurant reflects the personality and passion of its owner, so to know the restaurant is to know Dimitri. In a wide-ranging and fun interview, here is the restaurateur, entrepreneur, and community citizen Kallianis:
Me:
So how many recipes have you stolen from your old man, Capt. Porky himself?
Dimitri:
Four or five.
Me:
What are they?
Dimitri:
I'm not tellin'.
Me:
Well, one of my favorites is your Blackened Redfish. I love it. I know Dino cooked in 'nawlins for a while so I figure you ripped it off from him.
Dimitri:
I didn't. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
Me:
I'm a big fan of Triple D. I remember when Guy Fieri did his show at your place. What's he like?
Dimitri
: He's great and has a lot of energy. Hard worker. Lots of culinary knowledge. Good sense of humor. I'm fortunate to call him a friend and to have had the chance to cook with him. Thanks to Guy, I've worked with some great chefs and made many friends along the way. Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives... what a great show.
Me
: Do you have a red Mustang like he does?
Dimitri:
No.
Me:
Describe your cooking style.
Dimitri:
I like cooking food that has character and a story behind it. And I like cooking with liquor!
Me:
No wonder I like the Whiskey Shrimp. And as far as character goes, I've seen some real characters sitting at your bar, like my good friend Don Taft.
Me:
How old were you when you started cooking?
Dimitri:
About nine. My father taught my siblings and me about work ethic and together with our mother fueled our passions for life. They taught us to be producers, not consumers. We should write the book; not simply read it. Perhaps most importantly, be humble and respect others.
Me:
Speaking of siblings, what's up with brother George?
Dimitri:
George is a great person! Don't let his quiet demeanor fool you. He's very knowledgeable and calculated in a good way. A lot like our mom.
Me:
What about Notah?
Dimitri:
She's a lot like our dad and me: Passionate, hardworking, and a little loud, just like us. LOL!
Me:
Do you want to choose a different word?
Dimitri:
No. You wanted me to be honest in this interview, right?
Me:
At what point in your career were you able to stop washing dishes and concentrate on cooking?
Dimitri:
Washing dishes is actually my favorite job in the restaurant business. I've been so busy lately that I miss working that position.
Me:
My dishwasher is broken. If I cook you my famous bison/lamb moussaka, will you come to my house and clean up afterwards?
Dimitri:
No.
Me:
It's to die for. Restaurateur Greeks from all over Lake County come to my kitchen to dine on it. Even your dad liked it when I brought some to Porky's.
Dimitri:
Nope. Not doing your dishes. In spite of what I said, that job is not all what it's cooked up to be.
Me
: Ahem.
Dimitri:
Actually, the best place for future cooks to start is in the kitchen, washing dishes, just like I did.
Me:
I guess I missed my calling.
Me
: Remember when I wrote about your dad and that he told me he used dynamite back in Sparta to blow holes in the earth for easy fishin'?
Dimitri:
Yeah, I remember.
Me:
Have you ever blown holes in the Wadsworth substrate for something similar?
Dimitri:
Not that I remember.
Me:
Do you want to?
Dimitri:
Is there a village ordinance against it?
Me:
I don't know. I'll ask Trustee Ken Harvey. He's got some kind of Federal explosives license.
Me:
At the risk of ruining this interview by being serious, aside from your version of Whiskey Shrimp, is there a particular recipe created by you that you're most proud of?
Dimitri:
Yes! Tequila and Orange Salmon.
Me:
I see the liquor component.
Dimitri:
I created this dish in my mom's kitchen in about five minutes nine years ago in preparation for a live television show. I used random ingredients from her 'fridge and it turned out to be one of the Shanty's top selling menu items to date.
Me:
Back to our normal interview style. What menu bombs have you tried to pawn off on your customers?
Dimitri:
None.
Me: Are you serious?
Dimitri:
I don't sell bombs. But that's not to say I haven't made some.
Me:
What do you mean?
Dimitri
: Once I tried to make a malt beer shrimp cocktail using Mike's Hard Lemonade. It was truly a bomb. It was awful and never made its way out of the kitchen.
Me:
Did you go to school?
Dimitri:
Of course I did. What kind of question is that?
Me:
I meant where.
Dimitri:
Oh. I graduated from Warren High School in 2001 and from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005, majoring in art and business marketing. I bought the Shanty in 2006. I'm self-taught, learning from my dad and other great chefs from the Shanty and elsewhere. I cooked at Capt. Porky's and other kitchens in Illinois, Wisconsin, Florida, Cuba, and Dubai.
Me:
I can't help but ask this: What did Dino say when you told him you were going to college to study art? I know what my old man might have said.
Dimitri:
I never told him.
Me:
Most of us know what a hard worker you are. What drives you? What makes you tick?
Dimitri:
Jim, that's easy. My wife and my daughter. They are my biggest accomplishments in life.
Me:
The Kallianis family has made a huge contribution to the Wadsworth community in many ways over the years, not only with two outstanding restaurants but also with your contributions to community service. Hosting local and neighborhood events, for example. What else should we know about you?
Dimitri:
We are dedicated people and for George, Notah, and me, we are fortunate to not only have the parents we have, but also our grandparents. They are all role models who taught us about life. And the people of Wadsworth have taught us so much about the restaurant business, too. We are thankful for their support and encouragement. It makes doing business in this community very special, helping create one big local family.
Jim, in the end, the restaurants are what we do, but our family is who we are.
Link to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives episode featuring The Shanty Restaurant
