Maria's Mediterranean

Maria Petridis is a self-taught chef whose skills were nurtured not in culinary school, but in the kitchen. She perfected her talent through years of experience.

Maria grew up in the small village of Skoutari in Serres, Greece. From a young age, she learned the secrets of the Mediterranean kitchen by watching her mother. After moving to New York to pursue the American dream, she started a family. Her three children became her toughest critics, pushing her to modernize and put a new twist on classic Greek cuisine. She embraced this challenge, constantly experimenting to transform everyday dishes into reimagined masterpieces.

After 20 years of hard work, Maria and her husband, Kiriakos Petridis, opened Maria’s Mediterranean on Bell. The ultimate validation of her talent came when the producers of Food Network’s hit show, CHOPPED, invited her to compete—and she WON!

At Maria’s, every day offers a culinary adventure, featuring innovative specials and tried-and-true staples from a lifetime of cooking.