I can’t believe that almost three years have passed since Mèlisses opened its doors for the first time. I love to think back to how everything started. Mèlisses is a food and hospitality project, but also my very personal adventure.

Why Greece?

Of all the places in the world, why Greece? It is quite spontaneous to me, my best summer memories were all in Greece. My aunt Federica was probably the reason why we loved Greece so much in the first place. Federica is my mother’s cousin, but she’s almost like a sister to her. Federica and her father Alberto travelled all over Greece with their boat. One day, she met a Greek boy called Babis, and for many years they exchanged letters, until they met again about ten years later. Who would have thought that her childhood sweetheart would turn out to be the love of her life!

Serendipity.

I remember endless trips on our uncle’s boat “Gaia”, sailing across the Greek Islands. My mother and Federica would snorkel for shells to make beautiful necklaces or bracelets, my father would swim for hours and come back with crabs in his swim trunk pockets, and my uncle would fish and catch octopi for supper. The little girls (my cousins and I) would hunt for small treasures and exercise for our synchronised swims. The boat somehow felt like a whole universe, and each of us, busy in our own little worlds, would stop our routines only for lunches, and oh… what incredible lunches!

That was a magic boat, a happy boat as the name describes it (Gaia in Italian, “jolly“).

Why Andros?

Naturally we became obsessed with Greece and decided to start a new adventure there. We had been scouting islands for a perfect place, until one day we found ourselves on an unfamiliar island called Andros. Compared to the other islands we had visited, Andros seemed immense and very green, but also full of life!

We were already hooked, so much nature around us and hardly anybody around. Emerald waters in every corner, breath-taking sunsets, fresh air, and unspoilt sceneries. Who could have thought that at the bottom of a very steep road, we would eventually find a little corner of paradise?

It was a home far away from home

Mèlisses was in some ways just like Gaia. Surrounded by water, a place where family and friends could gather again.

My mother and I loved restyling the house interiors. We have always been obsessed with brocante and antiques, so for us that was the best part! My father made himself busy with the exteriors and generally with the landscaping of the property, making sure the house was completely blended in with its surroundings. On the other hand, my elder sister Andrea, simply said: “I trust you”, and luckily for her, avoided fights debating the colour of the walls or shutters.

What does “Mèlisses” mean?

It’s bees. Allegra, Andrea, Athina, we are the bees! My mother loves to come up with brainteasers and decided to name us all with “a” and because our surname starts with a “p” in Italian: A+P is “api”, literally “the bees”

I know this sounds very complicated, and it is, but to cut it short, she calls us bees :) I like the name because it’s a constant reminder of how important family is to me, us. It is the base of everything.

What goes around comes around…

We had a name, but we needed everything else. In life, sometimes you end up learning and doing many different things that may seem disconnected , but eventually find their place into the puzzle. And that was the case with Mèlisses.

I studied photography for a long time, from Kenya to Italy and London. And then I stopped suddenly, and put it on the side to leave space for my new obsession: food. Thanks to my father mostly (the greatest foodie I know), I have always been obsessed with food. We have attended professional cooking classes together since I was eight and obviously ended up leaving with a full belly and not much written down. At that point in my life, after having studied advertising and graphic design, I took a life changing decision and left Brussels to work and assist one of my favourite French food bloggers at the time.

We worked together on cookbooks, culinary workshops and even tv programs. I learnt a lot, and after two years, it was time to start a new adventure, my adventure.

Somehow all the pieces came together into what is Mèlisses today.

It’s a journey!

I have learnt so much during these three years. I have adjusted things, I have made mistakes, and who knows how many more I will make, but one of the greatest lessons I’ve learnt is that no matter which path you choose, sometimes even if it’s the “wrong” one, it will make you focus on the things that you really want to do in life. Everything happens for a reason and I strongly believe in that.

Now I am taking full advantage of this time at home to focus on future projects and ideas. Time is good for our minds, our souls. Let’s try to rest and be productive while we wait for the world and people around us to heal.

I’m sending my biggest hug to all of you,

Allegra

Photos by Armin Linke and personal archive of Allegra Pomilio

HOW MÈLISSES BEGAN