Giorgios Bakatsias said if he were to serve up a dish of Wilmington, he’d know exactly what to cook.

“Sea bass or snapper, grilled whole, perfectly seasoned with salt and finished with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice,” he said. “It captures the essence of Wilmington.”

Owner of Kipos Hellenic Cuisine and G Prime Steak & Cellar restaurant in Wilmington and a well-known restaurateur in the Triangle, Bakatsias, a native Greek, said he finds inspiration in, of all places, a virtual treehouse of his own making “in the countryside of the Chapel Hill, Durham area.”

“It’s a way to connect with nature,” said Bakatsias, “and to rejuvenate and allow my thoughts and creative abilities to flourish in a space all my own.”

Bakatsias and his company – Giorgios Hospitality Group – will also be opening Tomikosan sushi bar at Lumina Station, bringing the group’s Port City restaurant count to three.

Altogether, Giorgios Hospitality has more than 18 restaurant concepts throughout the Tarheel state.

“We’re very excited,” Bakatsias said. “Our focus will be on exceptional ingredients and providing an excellent, high-quality dining experience. We will also be exploring some new innovations.”

Tomikosan will seat between 30 and 40 patrons  and offer a Zen-like atmosphere.

The restaurant’s name and concept derive from one of Bakatsias’ longtime food friends and mentors, Tomiko Omichi Smith, who taught him the art of Asian cooking.

“Tomiko was one of the greatest teachers in my life and a dear, dear friend,” Bakatsias said. “She was a very enlightened human being. I named the restaurant after her in honor and gratitude for the Japanese culture.”

A tight-knit, loving family; a mother he describes as his hero; and the great outdoors are among the major influences that shaped Bakatsias’ future food philosophy, he said.

“I was blessed with a beautiful family in a small village in northern Greece,” Bakatsias said. “I was fortunate to be one with nature and working in the fields and because, you know, there was no grocery shopping. Everything had to be cultivated, curated and loved by hand. I had a very heroic mother who had an incredible love for cooking.”

Bakatsias, who immigrated to America in the ’70s and started his first restaurant, Kipos Greek Taverna in Chapel Hill, said he first caught a whiff of Wilmington years ago while vacationing here. But it was more than food and putting down potential restaurant roots that convinced him to “engage and plant a seed” in the Port City.

“Elegance and kindness,” he said. “People in Wilmington were out walking, talking and enjoying themselves. They were so nice. They said hello with a smile. This was very important to me.”

Enter Kipos Hellenic Cuisine, located at Lumina Station on Eastwood Road.

Opened in 2022, the 140-seat Greek seafood-focused restaurant was Bakatsias’ fine dining foray into Wilmington’s restaurant scene. Menu items, among others, feature seared salmon, a seafood stew called Kakavia, lamb chops and the traditional Greek moussaka.

The restaurant is surrounded by a lush, covered garden patio and extensive open-air garden area.

A year later came G Prime Steak & Cellar restaurant, also on Eastwood Road, a steakhouse concept with dishes ranging from beef tenderloin and bone-in cowboy ribeye to double-cut Berkshire pork chops and Japanese A5 Wagyu striploin.

With both restaurants still sizzling since their grand opening, Bakatsias said his intention moving forward is, well, to keep a good thing going, with only minor changes.

“We will continue to reinforce the seasonality of our dishes – seasonality of fish, of produce, for example,” he said. “It is here that we find simplicity and clarity. We’re also getting the garden ready outside, not only to grow our seasonal items but to merge indoors with outdoors.”

At G Prime, Bakatsias said he “will continue to advance the seafood selections … while introducing smaller plates” for those with smaller appetites, he said. “You can order a big steak and share and still have a quality dining experience.”
But Kipos and G-Prime won’t be the only things on the burner in the new year.

In 2023, Giorgios Hospitality Group was tapped to lead the food and beverage program at one of Wrightsville Beach’s newest establishments – the Commodore Club at Wrightsville Yacht Club.

The $9 million, 3,600-square-foot private indoor-outdoor social club and restaurant resides on a custom-built barge on the Intracoastal Waterway adjacent to the Bluewater Grill.

“That was a massive task and an amazing opportunity to offer the area real Southern elegance and hospitality,” said Bakatsias, whose hospitality group designed the club’s three dining areas, including an umbrellaed terrace open to the public. “There’s an incredible energy that exists in the Club, and we have a great team. We’re proud that we’re part of the project.”

For Bakatsias, the success and abundance he has reaped in the Port City reflect his love for the place and its people, he said. And he’s hoping for more.