Power Cut, Spirits Up – A Night at Fava

Power Cut, Spirits Up – A Night at Fava

By Chef Greg Nanousis – 3rd July 2025

Tonight was one of those unexpected moments that remind you what being a chef is truly about not just the food, but the leadership, calm, and quick thinking behind the pass. Around 6:30 PM, right in the middle of a packed dinner service at Fava, where I’ve been Head Chef for over three and a half years, we lost power. Not completely just one of the three phases from Scottish Power, but that was enough to shut down our kitchen fan, gas, and a good part of the equipment, including some fridges and the oven. The timing couldn’t have been worse we had around 70 guests already dining, and more bookings on the way. So, what do you do when half your kitchen goes dark? You don’t panic. You adapt. I had an electric fryer on standby, just for emergencies. We plugged that in. I brought down two small microwaves (rarely used, but they saved us tonight) just to give a quick heat-up. Thankfully, most of our dishes from gyros, to lamb shanks, moussaka, and house-made pita were freshly cooked earlier that day, during our prep and day shift. So we didn’t rely on pre-cooked food just reheated dishes that had been properly prepared in advance, maintaining both safety and flavor. We served what we could, hot and with care. Dips were ready. Bain-marie held the heat. The team pulled together. We didn’t cancel a single table. We didn’t stop. We made it work.

Chef’s Reflection: When a kitchen loses power, it’s easy to feel defeated but that’s when leadership shows. You use what works, stay composed, and keep the team calm. I’m proud of how we handled it tonight. In the heat of a breakdown, keep your cool. That’s how service survives. - Chef Greg Nanousis