“We named Akhtala the world capital of khorovats (barbecue), which is where the khorovats festival takes place every year. Besides that, we declared a khorovats holiday, which has always been celebrated on the second to last Sunday of August. We decided to hold a press conference with Mr. Khachikyan in order to not violate traditions because a lot of people have been asking us if there will be a khorovats festival this year given the state of emergency. This is a good thing because the number of beneficiaries from the festival is only increasing,” the chairman of the Development and Preservation of Armenian Culinary Traditions NGO, Sedrak Mamulyan, said during a press conference at the Sputnik Armenia press club.
According to him, the demand for the khorovats festival is so large. Although it was so difficult to organize last year, the residents of Akhtala forced the organizers to hold their beloved festival, which was implemented as part of the ‘Northern Gates’ tourist program.
Sedrak Mamulyan
The coordinator of the Northern Gates tourist program, Vazgen Khachikyan, said that it is an honor for him to work with Sedrak Mamulyan, who enabled Armenian cuisine to be trendy in Armenia. “We want Armenian cuisine to become an international trend, which is what will enable us to carry out this festival. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, the festival will be held at a different time, but God willing certain limitations will be lifted that will allow us to hold the festival. Five years ago, Akhtala was declared the international capital of khorovats. There is something else that we hope to implement with the Development and Preservation of Armenian Culinary Traditions NGO. There are different days accepted internationally that have to do with different foods, such as coffee, chocolate, tea, and even marijuana,” he said.
Vazgen Khachikyan said that there is no specific khorovats day within the culinary calendar despite the fact that barbecue is a food that every culture has. There is also no holiday that has to do with Armenia and the Armenian people.
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“Since khorovats festivals take place on the second to last Sunday in August, we want to call upon people all over the world to celebrate that as the international khorovats day and for people to unite near the barbecue fire. They should prepare khorovats while out on a picnic, at home, or in restaurants, and share those pictures and videos online with the khorovats day hashtag,” Khachikyan said, who believes that this will enable Armenia and the Armenian cuisine to become more well-known because the Armenian cuisine features several types of khorovats.
“Food is the main way in which tourists will be able to come to our country. Our churches and our tourist attractions are all beautiful, but tourists won’t be able to say, for example, let’s go and see Noravank again. But food always brings them here,” Sedrak Mamulyan said, who considers taste memory to be important.
He said that he used the last few months to gather materials from seven regions and create a program. “While some of us think that there shouldn’t be differences between regional meals, the kitchen actually differs just as their dialects do,” Sedrak Mamulyan said.
Gohar Hakobyan
