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You should definitely try the new restaurant, Enoiteca Edition Finesse!
Run by Christoph Heckenbuecker, the restaurant, retreat, and spa centre are transforming Maroni hills from the sleepy village it once was into a vibrant tourist destination.
Maroni is situated atop a hill and has historically been a bedrock for agricultural activities. Today, thanks to individuals like Christoph, the village is embracing diverse activities.
Overlooking the beach, Maroni becomes an ideal place for a summer hideout.
“I was brought to a halt when I visited Cyprus some 16 years ago
“I was in the process of migrating to Brazil when a friend invited me to Cyprus, just five weeks before my flight to Rio,” says Christoph. The entrepreneur adds that he didn’t have prior knowledge about Cyprus before the visit.
Upon landing on the island, two things captivated him: the low crime rate and the slow-paced life.
While visiting a friend, Christoph stood on the terrace overlooking the valley of Maroni when it hit him that he had found a place to call home. His dreams of going to Brazil were overturned.
In 2008, he began a new life in Oroklini, Cyprus, with the idea of transforming his passion for great food and wine into a business, giving birth to Enoiteca Edition Finesse, a boutique restaurant, retreat, and spa centre in Maroni.
“As far as I can remember, I have always been excited about cuisines and wine. I lived in the South of France and travelled the world,” says Christoph, adding that he studied wine education at Wine & Spirit Education in Rust, Austria.
“Cyprus has abundance in nature. You can choose from so much to create wonderful dishes. With the retreat, I wanted to have a place of peace and tranquillity. I think that cuisine is a big part of it, and to make it a wholesome experience, having the retreat and spa as well made sense.”
To make this dream a reality, Christoph is not working alone. He partnered with an international chef, Tom Kluba. The renowned chef has cooked for the UEFA European Football Championship in Kiev, 2012, Paris Hilton, and the former German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, among other celebrities.
When he first migrated to Cyprus in 2018, he had stopped cooking full-time and only did so on a part-time basis. Tom was Christoph’s Airbnb guest, but he turned out to be a long-term client. At this period, Christoph didn’t know about Tom’s culinary skills. However, when they got talking, they realised they shared a similar vision and partnered to create seasonal and local delicacies at the restaurant.
“I love eating seasonally,” Tom says, adding that due to this, he doesn’t have a favourite meal per se. This is the same spirit Tom brings to cooking. He likes to experiment with seasonal and local varieties to create exquisite, delightful meals.
“What stands out, however, is very clear: white asparagus in Germany. During the asparagus season, I fly back to Germany for a week or more and eat it every day. The asparagus, accompanied by homemade hollandaise and Cypriot potatoes, there’s no need to add meat; it’s simply heavenly. It’s a pity that it is not cultivated here in Cyprus.”
Commenting on Maroni, Tom says excitedly: “As Christoph says so beautifully: Maroni is the centre of the universe. I really like Maroni. However, as a kite surfer, it is unfortunately too far away from my kite station. Nevertheless, moving is out of the question.”
The two enjoy cooking on alternate days at the restaurant, where most of their ingredients come from their permaculture.
Just the other day, my partner, our one-year-old son, and I had an invitation to try out some delicacies and matured wine at this boutique restaurant in Cyprus.
It was an extraordinary experience.
Upon arriving, Christoph’s wife was kind enough to watch our son and their daughter while we savoured the meal and got into the business of writing this piece.
Tom’s special soup of the day, made of Jerusalem artichoke, was our starter. The soup is a gastronomic delight. It had a smooth and creamy texture, thanks to its nutty and earthy flavours. The subtly sweet soup was garnished with freshly chopped seasonal herbs from their garden.
Imagine a golden-brown, thin crust that’s both crispy and slightly chewy pizza. Well, that was next on our menu. The 3-day fermented pizza dough was cooked in a specialised pizza oven, amalgamating the flavours into a tasteful delight.
As it was brought to our table, I could not fail to notice the rich smell of fresh herbs. The pizza was covered by a velvety coat of melted mozzarella, juicy slices of tomatoes, and baby spinach. It was a cheesy goodness, and Christoph introduced us to a herb fusion by Liven Essentials Cyprus. We drizzled the hot pepper concoction on the pizza, adding a savoury kick to every bite.
“For a perfect crispy crust, a pizza is cooked at high temperature for about 90 seconds,” interjected Christoph as we devoured the flavorful pizza.
Christoph had poured us a 2020 Maratheftiko wine which we sipped between bites and chats with him, Tom, and other customers and friends at the restaurant.
One of Christoph’s visions for the centre is to run a wine library where he will mature Cyprus wines.
“At the moment, the production of wine in Cyprus is not for export because the volume is mostly drunk away every year. However, I want to age Cyprus wines: Maratheftiko, Macros, Yannoudi, and others have a great basis to age. I believe it is excellent and it will hold up and bypass well-known wine regions in the world,” says Christoph with optimism.
What a delightful evening as Christoph crisscrossed the restaurant to serve and entertain other guests.
The talented Tom served us gnocchi dumplings adorned with local mushrooms in a creamy sauce. Before we could dive in, he skillfully grated fresh Parmesan cheese on top, adding a salty and nutty element to this delicacy. Each mouthful was a mix of tender and bite of the pillowy dumplings, and the freshly chopped tomatoes with herbs.
By the time Tom brought us the classic steak with mashed potatoes and sautéed carrots to sample, we were already sated. Nevertheless, we managed to share a steak between my partner and me. The juicy steak with buttery mashed potatoes and crunchy carrots was a perfect mix.
We were ready to call it an evening, but Tarte au citron’s golden crust and yellowy filling was beckoning to us. We obliged. A bite into this French pastry, which was served with strawberries on the side, left us with an exquisite sweet and zesty aftertaste.
Edition Finesse is not just a restaurant; it’s a story of resilience, rebuilding, and optimism for the future. This wellness and relaxation centre is built on what used to be a location for carob traders years back. Today, Christoph is using his expertise in construction to renovate it slowly but surely.
To get a unique dining experience at a boutique retreat in Cyprus, you have to visit Enoiteca Edition Finesse to really feel the food, the environment, and the spirit of the people running it.
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11 Comments
Great venue, amazing food, engaged host!
Thanks
An amazing place in our wonderful world! I you search for natural friendly service culture in a lovely restaurant with family charme. The quality of dishes and wines is very high… enjoy!
I can hardly wait to finally come back in May. What Christoph has created is really amazing. ❤️
Udo thanks for your kind words
… when ever you have the chance to eat and be there, take it!
😋 I like all Christoph’s ideas. Will visit you when in Cyprus again. 😎👍
Thanks Radka!-))
A great location to linger and unwind. The food is amazing! I can only warmly recommend it 🙏
Thanks Jessica
[…] evening, join Christoph and Tom at Enoiteca Edition Finesse, where you can savour a variety of international delicacies paired with aged Cypriot […]