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Canwest News Service
VICTORIA – Demetrios Psyllakis, known better as Paul to those who have dabbled in the Victoria restaurant scene, ought to be slowing down. But fuelled by a surging olive oil business, a successful restaurant and a passion for improving the lot of his people on Crete, the 70-year-old is flying high right now and quite happily working "more than full time."
"I feel 10 feet tall," said Psyllakis as he surveyed a display of his recently arrived extra virgin olive oil. "I am just thrilled to see people coming in to get some of that olive oil, it's an incredible feeling when people come to ask you for it."
The quick growth of his olive oil business is also an incredible story.
Psyllakis, who owns Victoria's Black Olive restaurant, would regularly bring oil back from his visits to the family olive mill on Crete. It was used at home, in his restaurant and a few bottles would be shared with friends and colleagues. But as word got out, and other chefs started to use it, he realized he was onto a business.
"I don't know why I didn't think of it 10 or 20 years ago," he said with a laugh.
Psyllakis started bringing in small shipments just 2 1/2 years ago, and this year he expects to sell as much as 3,000 litres of the organic extra virgin oil produced, as it has been for generations, at the family mill near Knossos. The latest shipment includes 6,000 bottles and three-litre tins of Kastamonitsa Olive Oil.
The olives are a mix of those from his family's grove and a grower's co-op, including neighbouring areas on the Mediterranean island. Psyllakis says he pays a premium for the olives to ensure top quality and to help farmers in the region improve their quality of life.
The most recent shipment travelled more than 17,000 kilometres and took 48 days to get here. He had it shipped through India to Korea and Japan before it crossed the Pacific Ocean in order for the oil not to freeze as it likely would on a trip across Canada.
"I didn't want it to freeze. I don't think it hurts it too much but I don't want to take any chance," he said, noting his oil is top quality and commands a premium price. "I want to make sure I have the best quality product."
The oil is on the shelves at the Black Olive and a variety of other stores and delis around the city. It sells for $30 a litre, $25 for 750 millilitres, $20 for 500 millilitres and $55 for a three-litre tin.
One dollar from each bottle and $5 from each tin is donated to the Queen Alexandra Children's Hospital Foundation.
The business has Psyllakis running around B.C. and beyond filling orders.
He now brings in one or two containers each year.
"The market is growing, but the competition is pretty big," Psyllakis said, adding once people have tried his oil they always come back for more.
Psyllakis came to Victoria as a 23-year-old in 1964 because he'd enjoyed a first stop here while he worked as a merchant seaman. At that time his goal was to become a marine engineer, but after a few years at sea he grew bored by what he called the monotonous lifestyle.
"So I decided to skip the ship and come over here," Psyllakis said, noting he was actually deported at one point and had to spend a year in Holland before he could come back to Victoria to settle permanently in 1965.
"I came here because it was an island and a beautiful city," he said. "I made my mind up to come here and make my family here."
Psyllakis started in construction here 47 years ago, before turning his energy to restaurants.
He worked at the Village Inn in Cadboro Bay for 28 years before opening the Black Olive in 2001.
