Sedrak Mamulyan: The healthiest, most diverse, and richest cuisine in the world is Armenian cuisine
ABC Interview’s guest was Sedrak Mamulyan, a chef and president of the Armenian Cookery Traditions Development and Protection NGO. We spoke with him about Armenian cuisine, its diversity, and its uniqueness. According to Mamulyan, our cuisine is the richest and healthiest; we just don’t know it well enough. The cuisine is an inseparable part of our culture and a cultural trench that should not be abandoned.
– Is Armenian cuisine healthy? There is a common perception that it is somewhat heavy.
– The healthiest, most diverse, and richest cuisine in the world is Armenian cuisine. There are people who express opinions about cuisine lacking knowledge or expertise. In our cuisine, everything is balanced. The climatic conditions and their effects on the human body have been taken into account.
– Is there much difference between food types in the regions of Armenia?
– Yes, they are pleasantly different. We have singled out 10 regions, and the dishes there are as pleasantly different as the dialects; it is an indescribable beauty. I have pleasant feelings when I think about each region.
– What is the significance of Armenian cuisine in the region?
– The cuisine of historical Armenia has been a donor for all the surrounding nations. And the correct, professionally justified restoration of that cuisine is mandatory. This needs to be taken seriously and should not be underestimated… That’s why I say we need serious specialists, because our cuisine actually does not need anything artificially added, nor should it be undervalued. Armenian cuisine is a powerful cuisine, one of the most powerful cuisines in the world—and it is not me who is saying that. For example, William Pokhlyobkin notes that our cuisine is the oldest cuisine of Eurasia.
– Years ago, the Georgians registered a geographical indication on matsun, while some Armenian producers began labeling matsun containers “matsoni”.
– They didn’t register a geographical indication on matsun, but on matsoni. Matsoni is a toponym in Georgia. We came to write “matsoni”; we should have written “matsun” and explained that “matsun” means a technological process; it means to thicken, to condense, to make viscous. In other words, it is clear where the name comes from, but we decided to write “matsoni”.
– Holidays are coming. What would you advise people to prepare?
Whatever you prepare for the New Year, I would definitely advise adding Navasard’s harissa, which is kashika or korkot. You should prepare meat without mixing it with grains so that the coming year won’t be chaotic and there won’t be wars. Of course, tolma should always be there, and the rest can be whatever you like. It’s important that we can also feel the holiday through the various dishes.
Interview by Lena Gevorgyan
