Nicholas Poulmentis plans distinctive Greek cuisine at his upcoming New York City restaurant

Nicholas Poulmentis took a remarkably straightforward approach to entering the world of food TV: He filled out an application.It was apparently a very good application because it got him a spot on the Food Network’s competition show “Chopped,” where he ended up winning, leading to other television appearances.But he also has cooked in restaurants all his life and is now preparing for his own venue in New York City. Kythira NP, named for the island where he grew up and the initials of his own name, is slated to open in the SoHo neighborhood of this June. He plans to feature dishes from throughout Greece, but he is also preparing to import culinary specialties from his home island, including a type of sea squirt called “fouskes” and unique varieties of seaweed.Poulmentis recently discussed his plans for the restaurant and also shared observations about how cooking in a restaurant is far more stressful than any food competition could ever be.