Socrates Kolitsos, parish councilman at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Youngstown, has a secret.

The chef responsible for many of the Greek delicacies at its Summerfest every July isn’t Greek.

“Over the years we had a lot of fabulous chefs that were Greek born,” Kolitsos said. ‘The gentleman that’s been doing the chef work the last at least dozen years is a Slovak who married a Greek girl, and I would put him up against anybody. He’s fabulous.”

Judging by the number of people who queue up for the festival’s Greek fare, Kolitsos isn’t alone in that assessment. The festival, now in its 41st year, runs Thursday through Sunday on the church grounds at 220 N. Walnut St.

“We went through some trying times in the early years, because we were looking for the right (location), and we had a priest at that time who said, ‘Just do it on our own property,'” Kolitsos said. “We’ve had it in our own property now for the last 20 plus years, and that’s where we found real success.”

“The key items people come looking for are the lamb, the chicken and on Fridays only, we have fish,” he said.

“The other food is there, but the fish is added to the menu then, and it’s baked or plaki. Plaki is a baked fish with fresh vegetables that have been cooked over it, and it adds an additional flavor to it. And it’s very, very popular. It sells out.”

There will be local and Greek beers to wash it down and a variety of Greek pastries for dessert.

“The ladies start baking some things as early as January and February that you’re able to freeze,” he said.

The band Fabulous Filarakia will provide music for dancing on Friday and Saturday and DJ Kosta Pizanias will play Greek music on Sunday. Greek dancers also will perform at the festival.

Kolitsos said he expects a little boost in attendance this year with Summer Festival of the Arts returning to the campus of Youngstown State University after four years at Wean Park.

“This festival and the Festival of the Arts at YSU ran together for about 20-some years, same weekend, and we always cooperated with each other,” he said. “Why they ever took it out of there is beyond me, and I’m happy to see it back.”

If you go …

WHAT: St. Nicholas Greek Summerfest

WHERE: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

WHEN: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 220 N. Walnut St., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Admission is free. For more information, go to www.stnicksyou.com or call 330-720-1003.