Bessy Arvanitis and Helen Maragos share the family memories, traditions, and mother-daughter bond behind their New Jersey restaurant.
By Aphrodite Kotrotsios
Our Stories, Our Legacy | Hellenic News of America
Before Anemos Greek Cuisine became a shared business, it was a conversation between a mother and daughter on Sarandi Beach in Greece.
Bessy Arvanitis and Helen Maragos imagined a restaurant where their family’s recipes and love for their heritage could find a home in New Jersey. Both understood the demands of restaurant life. They also knew what they wanted to share: the food they had grown up with and the feeling of belonging that came with it.
On September 25, 2026, Anemos marked its 13th anniversary with a Greek Night at its Manalapan restaurant, featuring special celebrity guest Tracy DiMarco, entertainment by DJ Johnny Gikas, and live percussion by Peter Manaridis.
The milestone offered an opportunity to reflect on the family story behind the Monmouth County business, from Bessy’s childhood in Greece to the partnership she and her daughter have built in America.
For Helen, that partnership begins with their relationship.
“My mother is my best friend,” she said. “We have a close relationship and an unconditional love for one another. We put that first before our business relationship.”
From a Village in Greece to a New Life in America
Bessy’s story begins in Thespies, in the Thiva region of Greece, where she grew up in a small house with her parents, her brother Kosta, and her sister Toula.
Both parents were farmers. Fresh eggs, milk, and figs were part of daily life, and the family ate dinner together. Food was connected to the land, the seasons, and the people around the table.
Her sister Toula taught her the secrets of authentic Greek cooking. The lesson Bessy carried with her was simple: put love into every dish.
At 18, Bessy came to America. She missed her family and sought friendships with people who shared her customs and culture, finding familiarity as she adjusted to a new country.
Later, she returned to Greece each summer with her husband, Christos, and their children. Those visits helped keep the family connected to its roots and gave the next generation memories of Greece to call their own.
The connection also lived in Bessy’s kitchen, where the meals she prepared became some of her daughter’s most lasting childhood memories.
A Daughter Raised in the Restaurant Business
“Growing up in the restaurant business is the only lifestyle I really knew,” Helen said.
Watching both parents work instilled a strong work ethic in her from an early age. She saw the dedication behind the business and the effort required to keep it running.
At home, she experienced another side of that commitment through her mother’s cooking. The aroma of Bessy’s pastichio and beef kokkinisto remains vivid in her memory.
“Every bite was comforting and delicious,” Helen said.
Those meals would eventually help shape the restaurant she and her mother envisioned together. During a conversation on Sarandi Beach in Greece, they began discussing how they could share their roots through traditional Greek cooking.
That dream became Anemos Greek Cuisine.
Their roles reflect their different strengths. Bessy brings a traditional, structured approach, while Helen contributes creative ideas, social media, and special events. Their partnership gives each generation a voice in the business.
“Together we believe to make the perfect team,” Helen said.
Greek Recipes That Carry Family History
For Helen, one dish captures the connection between Anemos and the generations who came before it: youvetsi.
Its spices, sauce, and slowly braised lamb shank bring her back to her grandmother’s kitchen. Serving it allows her to share a family memory through the food itself.
That connection gives meaning to the conversations she has with guests.
With a background in teaching, Helen enjoys explaining the cuisine, discussing the origins of dishes, and introducing customers to Greek flavors.
“I love educating others on our cuisine, and the flavors of Greece!” she said.
She talks about the seafood the restaurant imports from Greece, suggests dishes that complement one another, and helps guests explore Greek wines. One of her favorite pairings is a crisp Assyrtiko white wine with a whole branzino.
For Helen, these exchanges are a natural extension of teaching. They offer a chance to make something familiar to her accessible to someone encountering it for the first time.
A meal becomes an introduction to the family’s culture, with room for questions, conversation, and discovery.
Bringing Greek Music and Nightlife to Manalapan
Anemos’ Greek identity also comes through in its special events.
Its Mykonos and Greek nights are among Helen’s favorite experiences at the restaurant. She describes evenings filled with music, dancing, and the energy she associates with nightlife in Greece.
Among the entertainers she credits with creating that atmosphere are DJ Manny the Greek, percussionist Tommy Alvarez, belly dancer Sasha, and singer Yianni Papastefanou, along with the restaurant’s Greek band.
Guests join in through dancing, raised glasses, and the festive traditions Helen associates with an unforgettable Greek night.
The September anniversary event brought its own lineup, with Tracy DiMarco, DJ Johnny Gikas, and Peter Manaridis joining the occasion.
For a restaurant built around sharing heritage, these evenings give guests another way to experience Greek culture. Food brings people to the table; music encourages them to participate.
Growing Together Through the Demands of Business
Behind the meals and entertainment is the daily work of running a restaurant.
Helen’s advice to others considering the business is direct.
“You need to have passion and patience in this business,” she said.
Supportive family and friends also matter, particularly those who understand the dedication and demanding schedule the work requires.
Over the years, Bessy and Helen have expanded Anemos with a banquet room for private parties and events. They also added a full-service bar, creating signature Anemos cocktails and selecting a variety of wines.
Helen is proud of what they have built together. She is equally mindful of the people who have helped the business grow.
“We are blessed with an amazing staff and loyal, dedicated customers who most have become family,” she said.
Those relationships are part of how she measures the restaurant’s success. Alongside the physical expansion are the familiar faces and connections developed over years of welcoming people through its doors.
A Legacy Passed Down at the Family Table
When Helen thinks about the future of Greek traditions, she returns to the home kitchen.
“I love to see the younger generations keep the traditions alive by cooking Greek in their homes,” she said.
Preparing an authentic Greek meal for her own family gives her a sense of fulfillment. She recognizes the comfort it brings them because she remembers experiencing that same feeling through her mother’s cooking.
The connection runs across generations: from Bessy’s childhood table in Thespies and the lessons she learned from Toula, to the meals she prepared for her children in America, to the recipes Helen now shares with her own family and guests.
As Anemos marks its anniversary, its story offers a personal view of how Greek heritage takes root in American life. It is sustained through daily work, family relationships, and the decision to keep preparing and sharing the dishes that carry those memories.
For Bessy and Helen, the dream they discussed on Sarandi Beach in Greece continues in Manalapan, one meal and one conversation at a time.
Anemos Greek Cuisine is located at 333 US-9, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726. For information, visit anemosgreekcuisine.com or call 732-414-6590.
Guests enjoy an evening of Greek music, dancing, and hospitality as Anemos Greek Cuisine marks 13 years in Manalapan, New Jersey.
Guests enjoy an evening of Greek music, dancing, and hospitality as Anemos Greek Cuisine marks 13 years in Manalapan, New Jersey.
Guests enjoy an evening of Greek music, dancing, and hospitality as Anemos Greek Cuisine marks 13 years in Manalapan, New Jersey.
Helen Maragos, Bessy Arvanitis, celebrity guest Tracy DiMarco, and Helen’s sister, Despina, at Anemos Greek Cuisine’s 13th anniversary celebration in Manalapan, New Jersey.
Dining and Cooking