Thomas Peter "Tom" Giannakouros

Thomas Peter Giannakouros died on March 12, 2022 at age 78 from a heart attack. He was the second of two children born to Nicholas and Georgia (Scourby) Giannakouros in Brooklyn, NY. His Greek community and family in Brooklyn had deep ties to Greece and Tom enjoyed traveling to Greece in his adult years, especially to visit his sister and her husband. Tom graduated from the McBurney School in Brooklyn in 1964 and also Long Island University with a degree in History. Tom met and then married Lydia Solini. They had one child, Olivia, together and were later divorced, but always remained friends and parents to Olivia.
Tom was a Master Chef, working at important restaurants in NYC, Los Angeles, and Paris. He started as a line cook at his family's Greek diner in Brooklyn, learning how to create good food at high volume for a tough clientele. Highlights of his career include cooking at The Links Club in Manhattan, catering to the film industry in LA (where he also wrote screen-plays), and being part of opening an American diner in Paris. Another highlight was when his parents hosted the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Athenagoras I, at their apartment in Brooklyn. On retirement, he moved to Vermont to be closer to his daughter and also worked at Macy's and Brooks Brothers. Tom enjoyed long-term sobriety through a twelve-step recovery program where he found great strength and also positively influenced many lives. He was a good friend with a generous and spiritual nature, focused on equality, the environment, and healthy democracy.
Tom is survived by his daughter Olivia Solini and her partner Doug Mowen, of Williston, VT and sister, Anthea Sylbert and her husband Richard Romanus, of Skiathos, Greece, as well as many cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A Celebration of Life will be held March 23, 2022 at 3 PM at the LaVigne Funeral Home in Winooski, VT. We will have an open sharing time, so if interested, please come prepared to share a memory about Tom. A burial will follow on Friday, March 25th at Cypress Hill Cemetery in Brooklyn where he will be laid to rest next to his parents. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in his name to The Nature Conservancy (https://tinyurl.com/yuamymr3)