# My compliments to the chef!



## alfie1888

Is there a way of saying the above phrase in Greek? The context being in a restaurant or at a friend's barbecue and you want another, more fun, interesting way to answer the question "Is everything OK with your meal?" / "How is the food?" instead of using the adjective "νοστιμότατος", as I normally do


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## Perseas

_Τα συγχαρητήριά μου στο μάγειρα/στη μαγείρισσα!..._


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## shawnee

A more generic compliment, not confined to the chef context, can also be used; 'Γειά στα χέρια σου ....'.


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## alfie1888

Ευχαριστώ και τους δυό σας! With regards to *γεια στα χέρια σου*, which you say is a more generic compliment, could it be used as a way to say "very nice work" if, I dunno, someone's made something by hand like an icon (thinking of a particular friend of mine here)...?

Also, I've heard *γεια στο στόμα σου*. Does that exist or did I not hear right?


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## Tassos

It exists but in a totally different meaning than what we are discussing here.
If someone says something that sounds right, a useful conclusion to a discussion, a very "successful" (in the greek meaning of επιτυχημένο) or fitting remark (I can't find the right words here - let's say that someone just said something _cool_ ), you compiment him by saying *γεια στο στόμα σου.* It is considered high praise and it implies that you said something that the one who makes the compliment wishes he had said. It also implies that what you said was a courageous/daring thing to say.


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## alfie1888

So, γεια στο στόμα σου could mean "you took the words right out of my mouth" (i.e. I wish I had said that! / I was going to say that!). But then again, if it implies something said was courageous or daring, that wouldn't work... Hmmm... Sorry - thinking aloud here! 

Also, what about my hypothetical situation about the icon and "γεια στα χέρια σου"...?


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## Perseas

alfie1888 said:


> So, γεια στο στόμα σου could mean "you took the words right out of my mouth" (i.e. I wish I had said that! / I was going to say that!).


This meaning is somewhat far removed from the meaning of "γεια στο στόμα σου" . The latter means that you whole-heartedly agree with something that someone said, it means that you strongly second/support that person for his/her statement. A synonym expression is _πες τα χρυσόστομε/χρυσόστομη_.



> Also, what about my hypothetical situation about the icon and "γεια στα χέρια σου"...?



Yes, but if I had to enter to frequency matters, I hear it mostly with food or drinks  .


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## alfie1888

Ahhhh I see! Thank you so much!


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## velisarius

"Γειά στα χέρια σου"- much used by women to compliment each other on their needle-work (as well as their cooking).


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## alfie1888

I can totally see that. I was going to mention something to do with knitting but changed my mind. Cool! Are they any more expressions with "γεια σε... σου"?


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