Civic Dining head chef Peter Conistis is preparing a storm of dishes for Greek Easter. Peter serves a mixture of modern dishes with Mediterranean influences in his fine dining restaurant. Peter's Greek heritage, coupled with many years of research and numerous trips to Greece, has enabled him to produce and hone his unique style of Modern Mediterranean cuisine. Lengthy conversations with mothers and grandmothers in villages throughout Greece have provided him with a robust understanding and appreciation of the country's tantalising, regional recipes.

Easter is the most important religious festival in Greece. The festival is officially called Pascha, meaning the Passover, and begins on the Saturday of Lazarus. People gather in church every evening throughout the week, especially on Holy Tuesday, Good Friday and on Holy Saturday, the night of the resurrection.

Greek Orthodox Easter will be held on the 27th of April this year. It is still calculated on the Julian calendar, and thus falls behind normal Easter which follows the more modern Gregorian calendar. Generally, Greek Easter falls on the Sunday that follows the first full moon after the spring equinox.

Many Orthodox observers fast before Easter and are not permitted to eat certain foods such as meat, butter, milk and olive oil for the last few days. On Saturday everyone attends Church late in the evening, carrying unlit candles. At midnight the priest announces the resurrection of Christ and the people light their candles. Following this procedure, everyone goes home for a meal as the fast has been broken.

Peter is offering a degustation moulded around Greek Easter traditions. The first course of red dyed eggs is a typical feature of Good Friday, adding to the celebration and happy atmosphere. As a symbol of resurrection, the eggs represent the emergence of Christ from His tomb to eternity.

The set menu complies with Peter's typical culinary style as all of the dishes are adaptations of typical Greek Easter dishes. For example, his dessert of Tsoureki bread and butter pudding is a revision of the traditional Greek Easter bread, tsoureki. The word 'tsoureki' is derivative of a Greek word which signifies Christ's resurrection. In Greece, both the bread and the red eggs are made and dyed on Holy Thursday.

Traditionally, lamb is the main dish served at Easter, eaten to symbolise the biblical sacrificial lamb, Jesus. On Easter Sunday, a spit-roast lamb is usually the centrepiece of the table. Peter's degustation will not disappoint, with a course of slow roasted suckling lamb, presented with wild greens and roast potatoes. The other courses on offer include spanakopitta filled manti and swordfish vineleaf dolmades.

Cost: $95 for five courses and $145 with matching wines.

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