Greek cuisine could set a trend in Slow Food and healthy eating in the same way that Japanese cuisine has in low-fat food if the Mediterranean nation succeeds in a worldwide push to promote the hearty fare.

To that end, the government flew Konstantinos Vasalos, executive chef of the prestigious Greek Yacht Club, into Tokyo last month to showcase Greek food, both traditional and modern, in tandem with Kiyomi Mikuni, a celebrated French cuisine chef and Greek culinary expert.

Although Greek cooking — known for extensive use of olive oil, seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs — shares similarities with Italian and Spanish cuisines, its distinguishing characteristic is its rustic heartiness — "a taste of home," as described by Mikuni, head of Shinjuku's Hotel de Mikuni.