Alexander Ghazaryan dreamed of becoming a chef since childhood. He has cooked for 6 years and is now chef at Haykanush restaurant in his hometown of Dilijan, Armenia.
The blade sparkles. My movements, shaped by time and experience, are clear and confident. I’m dressed in spotless white, and everything is clean and neat. Come in and treat yourself, my friend.
Don’t get me wrong, I never dreamed of becoming a surgeon. Since childhood, my dream was to become a chef, and I think it’s wonderful when dreams come true. In a sense, I save lives too: I satisfy hunger and thirst with my dishes.
Armenian cuisine is the warmest-hearted and tastiest in the world. Just try it and you’ll love it! And I’m not exaggerating at all.
My name is Alexander Ghazaryan, a simple guy from Dilijan and chef of Haykanush restaurant. It may sound strange, but since childhood I’ve imagined how I would entertain my dear guests and welcome them into my kitchen. I was an ordinary boy: I spent lots of time in the street, got bumps and bruises, and earned reprimands from my teachers.
At the same time, I would stand spellbound in the doorway of our little kitchen, where my mother and grandmother were busy, humming Armenian songs. The aromas, colors and sounds filled me with a deep national spirit. Now I realize that all that culinary magic struck a chord in my soul for a reason: they were threads leading to my future.
Dilijan is a fantastic place of immense beauty, quiet and melodious at the same time. Even the houses are built to live in peaceful harmony with the trees growing among them. Sometimes I think my little hometown is a real living creature that loves its people and creates a unique world for them. That’s why I couldn’t imagine leaving my town, and now I work here in a high-class restaurant.
I’ve been working as a cook for 6 years now. Before that, I studied at college, trained under cooks and chefs in cafés, and tried boldly again and again. I’m sure theoretical knowledge carries no weight without active, courageous, constant practice. And like a true highlander, I fell asleep and woke up with a sharp knife by my bed. I’m not kidding.
Believe me, I know the world’s culinary traditions and classics; I love and respect French cuisine, for example. But Armenian cuisine is close to my heart, and it also reflects my understanding of working with products and fully matches the philosophy of being a real chef, as I understand it. And of course, I am very proud of my homeland. That is so true.
What is precious to me in life? Work, friends and music, of course; they mean so much to me. Our close-knit team is made up of people enthusiastic about a common purpose, and my colleagues and I have repeatedly received recognition, even official nominations, prizes and titles.
But the most important thing is to satisfy our guests: to save the world from routine and paint every single day with mouth-watering aromas. That is my reason for getting up every morning.
