Ouzo Talk

He may keep on-screen company with some of the holiest figures in Christianity, but Greek-Australian actor, George Xanthis from 'The Chosen', joins the ranks of the laity in the latest episode of Ouzo Talk. Playing the Apostle John on the acclaimed series (season one now available on Netflix), Xanthis career is reaching new heights as the show looks toward gaining 1 billion streams. In a...

Legendary brand strategist, Peter Economides, stops by Ouzo Talk to talk all things brand with Tom and Nick! From his beginnings growing up in a Greek family in South Africa, to scaling the heights of brand, marketing and advertising, Peter is one of Greece’s – and the diaspora’s – great minds. Famed for (among other things), working on Apple’s Think Different campaign, where he worked directly wi...

He has identified and named more areas of the brain than anyone in history. His book; ‘The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates’ is the most cited in neuroscience, and the third most cited science book of all time. Now, famed Neuroscientist and Greek, George Paxinos, joins Tom and Nick in the Distillery for a discussion that doesn’t quite go the way you might expect. While science and the brain ma...

Former NATO chief, Admiral James Stavridis, joins Tom and Nick for an important discussion about the current state of the world, including tensions between Greece and Turkey (Turkyie), Russia and Ukraine, as well as the USA and China,. Having led the NATO Alliance with responsibility for Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, counter piracy, and cyber security, capping off a 37 year military care...

They asked for permission. Permission was denied... but they did it anyway. That’s the predicament that Founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Digital Archaeology, Roger Michel, and Director of Technology, Alexy Karenowska found themselves in during 2022. Believing strongly that the British Museum didn’t have the right to deny their request to scan the Parthenon Marbles, both Roger an...

If you love Greek music, there's no better guide than DJ Krazy Kon! An internationally acclaimed DJ, Producer & Event Promoter, DJ Krazy Kon joins Tom and Nick in The Distillery to talk Greek music, his career promoting it internationally and what's next to be conquered. Krazy Kon's work has undoubtedly helped introduce hundreds of thousands – if not millions  – of Greeks in the...

New Greek Consul General Yiannis Mallikourtis joins Tom and Nick to kick-off season two of Ouzo Talk! Whether you're looking to get your Greek Citizenship, a passport, sort out your property in Greece, or learn the real requirements for Greek Military Service, this is a must-listen! The new Consul General also speaks passionately about the importance of maintaining the Greek language in the d...

It's the end of season one, and to celebrate, for the very first time Tom and Nick are in front of a live audience at Sydney's St George Church Rose Bay, for a very special barbecue! Join the boys as they re-cap the first season of Ouzo Talk, including their individual highlights, favourite interviews and much, much more. There's plenty of meat to try too, with the boys served every...

Award winning author, poet, and storyteller, Dr Kate Forsyth drops into The Distillery to talk about her latest novel;  The Crimson Thread. Set in Crete during WWII,  The Crimson Thread is a reimagining of the ancient Greek 'Minotaur in the Labyrinth’ myth. The story sees a young woman fighting with the Cretan resistance against the brutal Nazi occupation, before finding herself caught betwee...

Legendary football (soccer) commentator Andy Paschalidis drops into The Distillery to talk all things world football as well as his amazing charity: HeartBeat of Football. From his early days as a journalist to hosting World Cups on SBS and calling some of the biggest events in the sport, Andy is an icon of ‘the beautiful game’ in Australia and overseas, most recently calling games for the Indian...

Greeks are well and truly everywhere, and few people know this better than writer, documentary filmmaker and Greek raconteur, Billy Cotsis. Billy joins Tom and Nick in The Distillery to discuss his latest film; ‘Magna Graecia: the Greko of Calabria’, developed in collaboration with Basil Genimahaliotis, which focuses on the Greko communities of Calabria in the southernmost part of the Italian peni...

You may know Mark Bouris as the founder and chairman of Wizard Home Loans and Yellow Brick Road. You might equally know him as the host of The Apprentice , or the host of podcasts such as The Mentor, and Straight Talk . One thing’s for sure though - you don’t know Mark Bouris like this. Mark joins Tom and Nick in The Distillery to talk about his Greek heritage, his incredible professional journey,...

Tom and Nick are on their best behaviour as Australian Navy Captain (and avid Ouzo talk listener) Commodore John Stavridis, boards the Distillery to talk about his personal journey, as well as the strong connection between Greeks and the Navy... but not just the Australian Navy. No matter where in the world Greeks are, their connection to the ocean is always visible thanks to how numerous they are...

Iconic Greek-Australian comedian, George Kapiniaris, stopped by the Distillery for a drink with Tom and Nick to talk about his career on stage and screen, as well as his Greek roots. From growing up Greek in Melbourne to appearing in the now legendary TV sit-com 'Acropolis Now' alongside Mary Coustas and Nick Giannopoulos as his alter-ego, Memo, to his roles in 'Underbelly', &a...

Nothing says Greece like a quality olive oil, and The Governor is one of the best. During his recent trip to Corfu, Tom sat down with Spyros Dafnis, the man behind The Governor, to discuss the amazing journey from being an everyday olive mill, to being one of the highest rated high phenolic, extra virgin olive oil brands globally, plus being used as part of clinical trials. An inspiring story that...

Join Tom, Nick and the host of hit TV series, My Greek Odyssey , Peter Maneas as Ouzo Talk kicks off a series on the Greek Islands. And what better place to start than arguably the most popular of them all - Santorini. Widely regarding as the postcard image of Greece, the sight of the island's steep cliffs overlooking the deep blue of the caldera, dotted by shiny white houses with blue doors...

As Greece prepares to play in their first ever Rugby League World Cup, Tom and Nick sit down with the team’s Head Coach, Steve Georgallis from the North Queensland Cowboys, South Sydney Rabbitohs player Peter Mamouzelos, and Team Manager Terry Liberopoulos to talk about the journey to the historic moment. And boy was it a bumpy one. From playing games in secret to avoid the Police, to in-fighting,...

Fresh from the front lines of the war in Ukraine, humanitarian nurse Helen Zahos joins Nick and Tom to talk about her first-hand experience. But Ukraine is far from being Helen’s first rodeo, having also volunteered in Iraq, in Greece during the Syrian refugee crisis, but also helping victims of the Bali bombing. Helen has put herself in the firing lines of some of the world’s most dangerous place...

“Teach me to dance!” Professor Vrasidas Karalis of Sydney University, and renowned conductor/composer, George Ellis join the boys in the Distillery for a drink and a chat about one of – if not the most – iconic modern Greek texts, “Zorba the Greek”. From the original book by Nikos Kazantzakis, to the 1964 film starring Anthony Quinn, Alana Bates and Irene Pappas, to the incredible music of Mikis T...

Stand-up comedian, Anthony Locascio, just couldn't resist having a drink with the Ouzo Talk boys. After some subtle peer-pressure, Anthony gives in and joins Tom and Nick in sharing a few beverages as the stories begin to flow. One of the rising stars of stand-up comedy in Australia, 'Entoni' - as he's lovingly referred to by his Nonno - talks about growing up as a Greek-Italia...

After almost three years waiting, our man Tom finally breaks the shackles of Australia's lockdowns to fly back to Greece for the start of the European Summer... and he's back with plenty of stories to tell. From meeting ' The Greek Freak ' Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers, to being interviewed on Rythmos 94.9 about Ouzo Talk, as well as taking in all the sights and sounds...

Ouzo Talk goes bi-lingual* for one episode as the boys welcome bouzouki legend, teacher, composer and recording artist, Thanasis Polykandriotis to The Distillery. From working with legends such as Stelios Kazantzidis, Manos Hatzidakis, Nana Mouschouri, Mikis Theodorakis and Stratos Dionysiou to name a few, Thanasi is rightly revered as one of the greats of Greek folk, classical and popular music....

When it comes to Greek food, chef Peter Conistis of 'Alpha and Ploos', Mary Politis from 'Mary's Kouzina' and David Tsirekas are more than just experts. They're at the forefront of maintaining, extending and re-imagining our treasured cuisine. In true Greek fashion, the trio arrive at the Ouzo Talk Distillery with hands full of food and ready to talk about why Greek f...

Ouzo Talk pauses to commemorate and remember the sacrifice of thousands of young men and women who put their lives on hold, or lost their lives in defence of their countries during WWII. For Greece, the losses were staggering – amounting to some 10% of the total male population. Alongside those Greeks, particularly in places like Crete and Lemnos, were the ANZACs – the Australia and New Zealand Ar...

No matter where you are in the world, you’ll find Greeks, and where there’s Greeks, there’s friends enjoying a drink and talking about being Greek.  Join Greek-Australians, Tom Skolarikis and Nick Athanassiou as they celebrate the things that connect us. From successful Greeks to important issues, and everything in between. Ouzo Talk is your ‘parea’. So pour yourself a drink, and join the boys as...