Why do Greeks use Bechamel?

[nm1999]

I’ve always wondered — why do Greeks use béchamel sauce in dishes like moussaka and pastitsio? It’s a classic French white sauce, and yet it’s such a staple in what we now consider traditional Greek cuisine.

Was it introduced during a specific historical period or influence? I’ve heard that Nikolaos Tselementes, a famous Greek chef from the early 20th century, might have had something to do with it — possibly trying to “elevate” or modernize Greek food by incorporating French techniques. But how did it stick so thoroughly? Now, a Greek dish doesn’t feel complete without that creamy béchamel layer! Also, is it true that he brought French elements into Greek cuisine?

How as this received, if that's the case?

 

[Rízes Hellenic Genealogy]

Nikolaos Tselementes (1878–1958) was a revolutionary Greek chef and food writer who trained in France and brought French culinary techniques into Greek cooking. In 1932, he published the first comprehensive Greek cookbook, Οδηγός Μαγειρικής και Ζαχαροπλαστικής (Cooking and Pastry Guide), which became wildly influential. It was reprinted dozens of times and became a household staple—so much so that older generations still refer to any cookbook as a “Tselementes.”

At the time, many Greeks welcomed these changes as part of a broader desire to modernize and Europeanize Greek culture, especially in the wake of independence from the Ottoman Empire. Tselementes was a culinary symbol of that shift — bringing perceived sophistication to home cooking.





That said, not everyone was thrilled. Some traditionalists felt it distanced Greek cuisine from its more Middle Eastern and Balkan roots, but the new style stuck. Today, the béchamel-topped versions have become so normalized that most Greeks view them as authentically Greek.

 

[k_tsoukalas]

You’re right, the widespread use of béchamel in Greek dishes can be traced largely to Nikolaos Tselementes, a hugely influential Greek chef and cookbook author in the early 20th century. Before him, moussaka and pastitsio were made without the creamy topping we know today. Tselementes, inspired by his training in France, incorporated French techniques like béchamel to give Greek dishes what he saw as a more “refined” and European style.

At the time, Greece was looking toward Western Europe culturally, so his ideas caught on quickly, especially among urban households. Over time, the béchamel layer became so ingrained that most people now see it as essential to these recipes.

Some traditionalists initially saw this as a departure from more rustic, Ottoman-influenced Greek cooking, but it proved incredibly popular. Today, it’s hard to imagine moussaka or pastitsio without that rich, custardy béchamel crown, a French technique turned Greek classic.