Chef Dimitris Skarmoutsos has revealed on Greek television that becoming a father completely transformed him as a person and taught him how to love.
Speaking during an appearance on the television show Super Katerina on Wednesday, October 7, Skarmoutsos stated that before his sons were born, he did not believe he had ever truly loved or felt any particular love in his life.
Skarmoutsos is the father of two sons: Dimitris, aged 25, and Alexandros, aged 11. He joked during the broadcast that being 25 feels no different from being 11.
The chef explained that everything begins and ends with his children, adding that the spontaneous emotion of love he felt upon the births of Dimitris and Alexandros fundamentally altered his character.
Career beginnings in America
Beyond the birth of his children, Skarmoutsos noted that his life underwent a major transition when he moved to the United States to pursue higher education.
He studied economics in America and completed his degree, intending to work for a major corporation. However, within his first few weeks on the job, he realized he could not envision spending his life sitting at an office desk. He explained that while he enjoyed economics as a theoretical discipline, its practical application was entirely different.
Cooking entered his life by chance while he was working in restaurants to support his studies. Admitting he was not the most efficient or polite waiter, management assigned him to assistant duties in the kitchen, where he caught the culinary bug.
Reflecting on the restaurant industry during the 1990s, Skarmoutsos observed that kitchens offered far more freedom than they do today, noting he would not choose to become a chef under current industry conditions.
Overcoming addiction
During the interview, Skarmoutsos also reflected on his battle with addiction and his decision to turn his life around. He emphasized that personal willpower was essential to making a fresh start, stating that individuals must first possess the desire to help themselves before family members or parents can assist in later stages.
He recalled addressing his addiction publicly between 2009 and 2010 while working for a major television network. At the time, colleagues warned him against speaking out, predicting it would ruin his career. Skarmoutsos said he rejected that advice because he considered cooking, rather than television, to be his primary profession. He expressed satisfaction that, years later, many more public figures feel empowered to share their own struggles.
