Arman Akopyan

I feel the real taste of food not with my mouth but with my fingertips. And it is not a joke. When I take a product in my hands, breathe in its aroma, and touch the surface – I already create a food puzzle of taste and color this product will take place in. This is how a cook’s mind works.

I am Arman Akopyan, a young Armenian chef who will never grow up. No, I am not that kind of Peter Pan, you might think about. I am rather a curious boy, always interested in something new to try and to serve and, of course, ready to learn something new every day of my life.

I think God has given me the cooking talent in advance as I was far from that in my childhood. I was a usual boy with scars and crazy ideas, fishing in the river and dreaming of the faraway lands to travel.

But the reality did a lot for me to stay straight on the ground. Thus, to help my family, I started a cooking career in a small village mit-ball diner. There was no variety of flavors or seasonal menus, but all the guests were fed and satisfied. And for me those 8 years ago it was very important. And one more thing – I understood my real passion to be in food creation. And from that time, I was sure about my future and the aims I wanted to reach.

Today, I am a part of the great Tufenkyan project family. I am a chef at Avan Dzoraget Hotel. We suggest mostly Armenian dishes, the traditional and modern variants of the national cuisine. But I like to cook something really tasty from Italian or French menus. I even have a theory of the similarity between the three of them in colors, flavor, and hospitality. At least, I want to believe they have.

My life is devoted to people: the guests of the restaurant, my friends, and my family. They are my critics, my fans, and my biggest inspiration. I want them to be happy and healthy, so I cook balanced and tasty food for them. I want you to be happy and healthy, and I wish you luck. God bless you!