Nektaria Anastasiadou is an author whose literary work transcends cultural barriers and explores issues of identity. She has won numerous awards and recognitions, including the Zografeios Agon Prize in 2019. Her debut novel, Recipe for Daphne , was shortlisted for the 2022 Runciman Prize and the Dublin Literary Prize, and was a finalist, with honorable mention, for the 2022 Eric Hoffer Literary Award. Her short stories have been published in numerous literary journals, and her writing is part of the curriculum at Boğaziçi University, Bilkent University, and Boston College. She lives in Istanbul.
In the neighborhood cafe where pastry chef Kosmas, charming widower Fanis and other Rumi - Greek Orthodox - regularly meet for afternoon tea, comes Daphne, born in America, with her aunt. Daphne sets hearts aflutter, sparks jealousy and evokes memories of the 1955 pogrom, forcing Kosmas and Fanis to confront their painful history in order to risk new beginnings.
A sharp and witty story, Recipe for Daphne invites the reader to peek into the kitchens, loves, and secret lives of Istanbul's oldest community.
" The recipe for Daphne boldly gives us a glimpse into the life of Greek Orthodox communities in Istanbul."
Elif Shafak for The New York Times
"A stunning debut novel, an outstanding achievement."
Petar Frankopan, author of Silk Roads
“Reflecting on identity and the scars of history.”
Public Radio International