Meet the 82-year-old chef driving a new Sydney restaurant

An octogenarian chef is the kitchen driving force for a new family-run Greek restaurant that opened its doors last week in Sydney's historic The Rocks district.

Jimmy’s Kitchen is a tribute from hospitality industry veteran Chris Drivas - who has with over 50 years of experience in the industry - to his late father, Jimmy.

Chef Marko Taxidis, who is 82, leads the kitchen.

He first cooked with Jimmy Drivas n Sydney in the 1950s and has been part of the family business ever since.

The Greek taverna-style eatery is inspired by Chris’s childhood working alongside his dad in Greece from age seven.

The 22-seat restaurant aims to replicate a traditional Greek home with sandstone walls, royal blue accents, and shelves lined with olive oil, pastas, and preserved capsicum.

Menu highlights include the astakos lritharaki (lobster with orzo), lamb kKleftiko, and saganaki halloumi.

“When customers walk through your door, you treat them like they’re coming into your house,” Jimmy would say, his son recalls.

“It’s intimate, unpretentious, and designed to feel like you’ve stepped into a family kitchen - where the food is real, the welcome is genuine, and every dish brings people together.”

The drinks list is uniquely and proudly Greek - from crisp assyrtiko to bold xinomavro wines, alongside Greek beers, aperitifs, digestifs, cocktails, and mocktails.

Jimmy's Kitchen is at Bay 9/7-27 Circular Quay Wharf, The Rocks. See https://thevenuesco.au/jimmyskitchenbaynine/

Images: Leigh Griffiths