Meet the entrepreneur, in this series Evelien and Kiriakos Polichronakis, owner and chef of Greek caterer Mitsos

During the 1950s, there was a labor shortage in the Netherlands. In response, the Dutch and Greek governments signed a recruitment agreement, allowing Dutch companies to recruit workers in Greece. The companies were desperate for staff. The Greeks were eager to work and did not shy away from the heavy and dirty work that the Dutch no longer wanted to do. The Greeks who worked in the mines in Belgium found the work too hard and went just across the border in search of work with better conditions. In the Netherlands, the number of Greek workers continued to grow. The Greeks missed the flavors of their homeland. Once they had succeeded, like the Italians, in establishing networks with home, they could easily obtain products such as olives, herbs, cheeses, wines, and olive oil. This development enabled the Greeks to prepare meals as they were accustomed to doing in their homeland. From that moment on, people from Mediterranean countries began opening the first restaurants in the Netherlands.

"My husband had wanted to start his own business for a long time, but I wasn't so sure about it." Still, it happened. Ten years ago, the Polinchronakis family took over a Greek delicatessen. The previous owner, an acquaintance of the family, unfortunately became seriously ill and was forced to sell the business. As a tribute to the previous owner, the family kept his name. "Since Mitsos came into our lives, my view of owning a business has changed. We have become a kind of hub for the neighborhood. Many people share their joys and sorrows with us.

Sometimes we are even among the first to know that someone is expecting a baby. That is very special. This is partly because it is not a restaurant. As a result, we can now enjoy our evenings off. Although Evelien does not come from the hospitality industry, she is extremely happy with her work. Mitsos has a very large and loyal customer base. Some customers come almost every day. Mitsos is not only well known in the neighborhood. Customers come from all over the world to taste the delicacies. "Sometimes American or Australian customers come in with a business card they got from a neighbor. That's incredible! I never dared to dream of this."

Kiriakos was born in northwestern Crete, Greece, where he mainly worked in the service industry. When he had some free time, he would hang out with the chefs, his nose hovering over the bubbling pots. Kiriakos could always be found in the kitchen, but he also found time to fall in love with Evelien from Amsterdam. Kiriakos left his homeland for her. Once in the Netherlands, he seized the opportunity to become a chef with both hands. Since then, Kiriakos has been putting into practice what he has learned over the years, simply by watching and asking a lot of questions.