Anastasia Kelesi

ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm Anastasia and I'm a Greece based food blogger, professional food photographer/videographer and food stylist. I believe that food connects people in the most precious and interesting ways. To me, every meal either brings back memories of the past or creates memories for the future. As a Greek, my most memorable moments have been made around a table. I'm a nostalgic eater and I certainly express my love through food. My ultimate goal is sharing content that will always make you feel welcome in my table. I love creating color stories through my images and capturing food in the most flattering light. I enjoy shooting baked goods and healthy dishes, emphasizing in story telling. If you want to learn more about the services I provide, click on the "Services" tub on the top of the page.

MY LIFE-MY STORY

I live in Volos, Greece, with my husband, Elias and are two cats, Viola and Camilla. I love creating beautiful and delicious dishes, which I can share with my loved ones. If I'm not cooking or shooting, I'm either gardening or traveling. It all started in my grandma's home, when I was little. I used to love cooking and baking in her kitchen, in which I discovered my passion for food. When I graduated from university as a special needs' educator, I couldn't stop thinking about my passion for food, so I started my food blog, The Living Manna, where I've been sharing recipes with my audience. Through this, I discovered another passion of mine, food photography, which I've been practicing professionally since last year. Food photography and styling has allowed me to fully express my love and creativity for food.

WHAT'S THE MEANING OF "THE LIVING MANNA" FOR ME

Don't tell me that you have never heard the word "manna" or "manna from above". Even if you haven't heard it, allow me to explain the term in the next few lines. According to the Old Testament, thousands of years ago, when God took the Israelites out of Egypt, a place of slavery for them, to lead them to the promised land they had to go through the desert. There, losing their trust in Him, they began to complain of hunger. Then the manna began to "rain" from the sky, a mysterious seed like coriander, with a sweet taste, which they used to ground and make bread out of it. Manna was provided to them by God every day for 40 years.All he asked from them was to not keep any food for the next day, except of Sabbath, as a sign of faith that He was providing food in the desert. Additionally, in the New Testament, Jesus proclaimed himself the bread of life and the living manna, which whoever "eats", will live eternally. In both cases, manna is something that was given to people, not because they deserved it, but because He knew that the world without it couldn't survive, couldn't live. "The living manna", arose, perhaps, from my need to practice what I love because it gives me life. Maybe in the end, manna for me is its own Provider.The blog's name is a direct result of God's Grace in my life.