What Is Armenian Food? | Aline Kamakian
Over a shared meal at Mayrig restaurant in Beirut, we sit down with Aline Kamakian, the restaurant's creator, to discuss and get a taste of Armenia's rich food history and the diasporic evolution of what she calls this "cuisine of contrasts". Aline shares her own family's history and lived experiences of the Armenian genocide and expulsion, and her relationship to her adopted home of Lebanon, as she paints a picture of the food she grew up eating. She explains how she's on a mission to spread Armenian cuisine and combat common misconceptions about "Armenian food" at large, and how she turned her idea for Mayrig into reality. As each dish is served, she explains its flavor profile and key ingredients: from Kebab Karaz, Basterma and Sujuk, to Mante and the unique characteristics of fenugreek.
Warning: don't watch while hungry!
Aline Kamakian is the founder of Mayrig. She began her career as an insurance broker at the age of 18 to put herself through college, later graduating from Université Saint Joseph in Lebanon with a double major in Masters in Finance and Marketing. She opened Mayrig in June 2003 as an avant-guard traditional Armenian restaurant.
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Mayrig, meaning "little mother" in Armenian, is one of the Lebanon's first, full-fledged Armenian restaurant. Through the dishes it serves, it pays tribute to all Armenian mothers who guard over their rich culinary heritage.
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Matbakh Podcast
A podcast series about eating, making, appreciating and learning about the food and drink of the Arab world. Chefs, restaurateurs, food historians, critics and writers share their takes on the best of what the Arab kitchen has to offer – past and present. We delve into well-loved and under-appreciated dishes, ingredients and flavors, as well as the history of the region’s food and what its future holds.
