The Cleveland-born chef, Iron Chef, restaurateur and cookbook author forgot a step, cursed like a Greek son, and instantly became even more relatable.
Michael Symon is having a very Greek moment online.
In a video that has now passed 3.3 million views, the Cleveland-born chef, restaurateur, television personality, and cookbook author is making traditional pastitsio—the beloved baked Greek pasta dish of pasta, meat sauce, and béchamel that has shown up on countless family tables.
But it’s not just the recipe that has people watching. At one point, Symon forgets a step and blurts out the kind of Greek curse word his mother probably would have called him herself had she been standing over the stove.
For Greek Americans, that wasn’t a mistake. That was authenticity.
Symon has long embraced the Greek side of his heritage, often speaking about growing up in a Greek and Sicilian family in Cleveland and how those flavors shaped the way he cooks.
Over the years, he has built one of the most recognizable careers in American food television and restaurants, becoming a James Beard Award winner, an Iron Chef, and the author of several cookbooks, while also earning a loyal following through his restaurants and television appearances.
His official bio points to restaurants including Lola, Mabel’s BBQ, Roast, Bar Symon, Angeline, and B Spot Burgers, all influenced in different ways by the food and family traditions that formed him.
The pastitsio itself is no random dish in his repertoire. Food Network has featured Symon’s recipe for the classic Greek casserole, and the network has also described the dish as one that takes him right back to his childhood.
And maybe that’s why the video hits the way it does. For all the accolades, all the restaurants, and all the television fame, one missed step in a pan of pastitsio can still turn an Iron Chef back into a Greek kid in his mother’s kitchen.
RECIPE COURTESY OF MICHAEL SYMON
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Meat Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups finely diced yellow onion
1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups crushed tomatoes
Bechamel Sauce:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 cups whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely grated kefalotyri cheese
3 large eggs
Pasta:
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound macaroni #1
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the casserole dish
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup grated kefalotyri cheese
Directions
For the meat sauce: In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the ground beef and sear without disturbing until brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Break it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook until deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the Aleppo and cinnamon and stir to combine. Tie the thyme sprigs together with butcher’s twine and add to the meat sauce. Deglaze with the wine, reduce by half, then stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup water. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes have begun to break down, about 30 minutes.
For the béchamel sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Whisk in the flour and allow to toast for 1 minute. Add the nutmeg and about a quarter of the milk and whisk as the mixture cooks and bubbles. Add another quarter of the milk and cook, whisking.
Once the milk is incorporated, add the rest of the milk and whisk again. This will ensure a smooth bechamel sauce. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, whisking, until the mixture has thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the kefalotyri cheese until melted. Whisk in the eggs and set aside.
For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Do not stir as you will disturb it. In order to have even layers, the pasta needs to be cooked undisturbed, with all the noodles facing the same way. Cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the package instructions.
Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
To assemble: Brush a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with olive oil and set aside. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the pot and line the pasta evenly in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. All the noodles should be facing the same direction. Add the melted butter and kefalotyri cheese and season with black pepper.
Remove the bundle of thyme from the meat sauce and pour the meat sauce on top of the pasta. Using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer without pressing down. Pour the béchamel over the meat sauce.
Place the casserole dish onto the offset heat part of the grill, close the grill and bake until the top is golden brown and puffy, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
