St. Augustine is rich with diverse culture stemming heavily from the Mediterranean. While much of local history revolves around the Minorcans, the Greeks actually arrived on the shores of the First Coast at the same time. Fast forward to 2001, when Bill Lulias, a second generation American of Greek heritage, found himself relocated to the area for work. He has cultivated his own Greek roots in our ancient city, and has married his family’s legacy with St. Augustine history through Florida Greek Guy Seasonings.
Bill Lulias, the Florida Greek Guy, has been committed to creating unique flavors through his seasoning blends for 30 years. Growing up in a Greek family, he says you did one thing. “You worked at your father’s restaurant, your grandfather’s restaurant, or helped out with your uncle’s restaurant,” he explains. “As a child, I spent many days watching my Yiayia cooking in the kitchen, making phyllo dough from scratch, picking wild greens from the garden, and making spanakopita. Every day of my childhood was a Greek cuisine adventure.”
Bill began creating his own seasoning blends while working in his father’s restaurant. His father used a blend that contained MSG and fillers, and Bill thought, “We can do better than that.” So the All Purpose Blend was born. The seasonings were used with great success in the family restaurants, as well as Bill’s own. Originally, he developed his blends with a Greek flair, but Bill quickly realized that his seasonings enhanced traditional dishes. So he began creating blends that have a wide reach to complement all types of protein and vegetables.
Florida Greek Guy Seasonings is about much more than creating flavorful and unique seasonings – it’s about creating an experience and bringing people together. “My hope,” says Bill, “is that more people will start to eat at home as families again, cook together, and explore different flavors.”
Bill is also a firm believer that “medicine is not healthcare. Food is healthcare. Medicine is sick care.” He said it’s time we see it for what it is.
Visit The Florida Greek Guy Seasonings online at www.floridagreekguy.com. Written by Monika Bernthal. Photography by Tammy Harrow.