Yerevan Gastronomic Days #67
Elevating Armenia's Wine and Gastronomic Tourism: The Impact of EventToura's Strategic Initiatives
For over a decade, EventToura: Event Tourism Developing Agency has been driving the growth of event tourism in Armenia, securing its stable role in the country’s economy. With each milestone achieved, the agency sets its sights on even greater goals, continuously pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Year by year, the foundation’s projects continue to expand, fostering the development of tourism, the economy, winemaking and gastronomy in Armenia. One of its most ambitious and impactful projects is “Yerevan Gastronomic Days”, a bold initiative designed to establish Armenia as a key destination on the global enogastronomic map. Yerevan Gastronomic Days is a vibrant three-day event that unites leading chefs, sommeliers, and food industry professionals from around the world, positioning Armenia as an exciting hub for gastronomic tourism. In 2024, the festival welcomed representatives from 16 countries, including renowned chefs, sommeliers, and influential food bloggers. Beyond showcasing Armenia’s culinary excellence, the event became a melting pot of traditions, flavors, and innovations—where culinary heritage met contemporary creativity, inspiring new taste experiences and gastronomic discoveries.Moreover, the event has a significant educational component, promoting the professional growth of the Armenian gastronomic community, facilitating knowledge exchange from the internationally acclaimed chefs, and enhancing craftsmanship.
In 2024, Yerevan Gastronomic Days once again proved its uniqueness by exceeding all expectations and introducing a larger-scale, more innovative format. This year’s event provided an unprecedented experience for both local and international visitors over the course of three days. One of the key novelties of the event was the introduction of two state-of-the-art stages, each capable of hosting up to 140 audience members simultaneously. This change significantly improved the management of guest flow, especially considering the large number of visitors in previous year. Visitors had the opportunity to attend 9-10 culinary shows and masterclasses, which were conducted in Armenian, English, Russian, French, Spanish and Chinese languages, ensuring the inclusivity and the international approach of the event. The outdoor area created the perfect environment for fully enjoying the event’s program in the very heart of Yerevan and immersing in the captivating world of gastronomy.
Yerevan Gastronomic Days 2024 elevated Armenia’s gastronomic culture to a new level, solidifying its position as one of the year’s most significant and large-scale events.
Evolution of Excellence: From Online Inception to On-Site Triumph – The Journey of Wine Classes, Gastronomic Shows, and Masterclasses
In 2020, the Wine Pairing and Masterclasses program was launched for the first time in an online format, aiming to educate participants on the art of selecting the perfect food pairings for wine. In 2021, it was held during the Street Festival, achieving great success and generating significant interest among visitors. This success continued into 2022, with wine classes and masterclasses led by experienced professionals and sommeliers. The engaging and informative sessions, presented by expert speakers, created a high demand among the public.
In 2023, the event expanded into a larger format, welcoming international speakers from the United States and Latvia, alongside Armenian sommeliers and renowned chefs from various countries. The wine pairing classes grew significantly, ultimately transforming into the Yerevan Gastronomic Days, a dedicated festival celebrating the art of food and wine pairing on a grander scale. To bring this initiative to life, one of Yerevan’s central streets was entirely closed, allowing hundreds of visitors to immerse themselves in the secrets of enogastronomy over three days.
Recognizing the positive outcomes and the participants’ enthusiasm, the Wine Pairing and Masterclasses program expanded further in 2024, incorporating talks on additional cultural topics and live culinary demonstrations by experts in the field of gastronomy. The festival showcased the rich diversity and spirit of Italian, French, Lebanese, American, Spanish, Czech, Chinese, Jordanian, and, of course, Armenian cuisines, offering a true celebration of global culinary excellence.
Expanding Horizons: The Transformative Journey of 'Yerevan Gastronomic Days' in 2024
“Yerevan Gastronomic Days” is not only a platform for promoting gastronomic culture but also an initiative aimed at shaping a vibrant gastro-community. It fosters an environment conducive to chef representation, restaurant integration, experience exchange, and the formation of new collaborations. The event serves as a stage for the expansion of gastronomic culture through various formats, including gastronomic shows, masterclasses, and panel discussions. During the gastronomic shows, chefs showcase their expertise before a live audience, sharing their secrets, techniques, and insights into the delicate nuances of flavors. This experience reaches its peak when participants not only get to taste the chef’s signature dishes but also enjoy them with a perfectly paired wine. Each gastronomic show is accompanied by a wine tasting, where winemakers are also present to share the story of their winery and the creation of the featured wine. Visitors gain in-depth knowledge about both the chef’s dish and the wine that complements it, elevating their appreciation of the art of food and wine pairing.
International Chefs at Yerevan Gastronomic Days 2024
The 2024 edition of Yerevan Gastronomic Days welcomed an impressive lineup of world-renowned chefs, including:
- Davy Tissot – Bocuse d’Or Winner, 2 Michelin-starred French chef
- Natalia Vázquez – Spanish chef, Le Cordon Bleu Madrid
- Alain Alexanian – French-Armenian chef, 2 Michelin stars
- Mary Sue Milliken – American chef, TV personality
- Lenora Marouani – American chef, co-owner of Barsha restaurant
- Marco Leone – Italian chef, Pizzaiolo
- Jihan H. Sahawneh – Senior Chef at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, Jordan
- Maysam Nawaf Abed – Lebanese chef
- Václav Plesl – Czech chef
- Ji Jian – Chinese chef
- Zarmig Halladjian – Lebanese-Armenian chef from Qatar, TV personality
- Arbi Gharaghani – Founder and President of the Armenian Chefs Association, Chef
One of the most remarkable aspects of Yerevan Gastronomic Days 2024 was the deep integration of international chefs and professionals into Armenia’s rich culinary and winemaking traditions. Over 3 days, these esteemed professionals worked alongside the chefs of Armenia’s finest restaurants, engaging in a true cultural and gastronomic exchange. Together, they explored local ingredients, experimented with techniques, and created unique dishes that fused global expertise with Armenian flavors.
An Interactive Gastronomic Experience: Zhingyalov Hats (Bread)
In addition to the masterclasses and shows, Yerevan Gastronomic Days 2024 featured a special interactive culinary experience dedicated to one of Armenia’s most beloved traditional dishes—Zhingyalov Hats.
Visitors had the unique opportunity to prepare the dish themselves, guided by Armenian women from Artsakh who passed down their authentic techniques. After baking, participants delighted in tasting their very own handmade Zhingyalov Hats, immersing themselves in a true culinary and cultural experience while the folk songs were being performed by the choir of Artsakh women.
The Role of Food Bloggers
In today’s world, food bloggers and culinary influencers play a crucial role in shaping gastronomic trends and introducing new flavors to a wider audience. Recognizing their impact, Yerevan Gastronomic Days 2024 hosted a dedicated session for food bloggers, where influential voices from around the world came together to discuss food storytelling, digital gastronomy, and the future of culinary content creation. This session welcomed top-tier food bloggers from different countries, offering them an exclusive opportunity to experience Armenia’s culinary heritage firsthand, engage with local chefs, and share their discoveries with global audiences.
Addressing Sustainable Development Food Waste at Yerevan Gastronomic Days 2024
Yerevan Gastronomic Days is not just about promoting Armenia’s gastronomic tourism; it also plays a crucial role in voicing out the problems and solutions within the sustainable gastronomy. The event prioritizes local production, environmental responsibility, food waste reduction, and educational initiatives, fostering long-term improvements in the country’s gastronomic ecosystem.
The special forum was dedicated to the issue of food waste, which, in order to raise awareness and find solutions, was the focus of a special panel discussion organized in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme. Nanna Skau, the director and representative of the UN World Food Programme office, gave a special speech during the Forum. Nanna Skau discussed the main causes of food waste, its impact on societal lifestyles, and possible solutions. In her speech, she mentioned that one in seven people worldwide is hungry, while at the same time, 30% of food continues to be wasted. The speaker emphasized that waste occurs at every stage of food production, from harvest to retail points.
Nanna Skau categorized food waste into three types:
- Plate waste (leftover portions on plates)
- Organic inedible food
- Expired food
According to the speaker, in order to reduce waste as much as possible, efforts should be made starting from restaurant menus and extending all the way to individual consumers.
In addition to numerous awareness campaigns, UN WFP also implements the “School Feeding Program” in Armenia. Thanks to this program, around 100,000 schoolchildren in the regions of Armenia receive hot meals.
As part of the panel discussion, we collaborated with the Embassy of the Czech Republic to host Michaela Chihalíková, Director of the Save Food Foundation. She shared valuable insights on global best practices in food waste reduction and sustainable consumption. Michaela Chihalíková mentioned that the main goal of “Save Food” is to spread awareness about food waste in society and develop special mechanisms to reduce the amount of food waste as much as possible. The foundation has been running a special program in the Czech Republic for two years, during which it collaborates with Czech supermarkets to distribute surplus food to people in need.
The panel discussion was also attended by Jean-Marc Stavroulakis, founder of Eliots Sustainability NGO, Haykanush Parsamyan, Legal Officer at UNWFP, who spoke about legal regulations for solving the issue, and Denis Laus, General Manager of Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan, who presented how food waste should be managed in the hotel industry based on their experience.
The panel discussion was moderated by Lusine Manucharyan, founder and CEO of Resilient Sustainability Services, who has over 24 years of experience as a sustainability expert with international expertise.
The panel discussion played a key role in the Yerevan Gastronomic Days, helping the event to not only have a cultural, gastronomic, and tourism component but also a social one. Such events provide an opportunity for participants to discuss the importance of the topic, share their experiences, and find solutions that can contribute to the effective resolution of the issue and create a long-lasting impact.
Philosophy and Format
The philosophy behind the “Yerevan Gastronomic Days” is based on the development of event tourism, strengthened by the enhancement and improvement of the gastronomic sector. The event takes place in the format of a street festival, bringing together leading international and local experts in the culinary field, local restaurants,representatives of public organizations, and other stakeholders in the gastronomic industry.
The Gastronomic Days promote the recognition of Armenia’s gastronomic heritage, while simultaneously offering the opportunity to present the cuisines of various nations and cultures. This approach not only contributes to the recognition of local culture but also creates an environment for exchanging experiences, where Armenian and world-renowned chefs collaborate.
The “Yerevan Gastronomic Days” also provide a unique experience for tourists, as they have the chance to not only explore Armenia’s rich gastronomic heritage but also participate directly in live demonstrations and masterclasses by internationally renowned chefs. In this way, the event makes a visit to Armenia more exciting and enriching, directly connecting cultural values, culinary experiences, and sustainable tourism.
In 2025, the event will return in an even larger format, expanding the list of participating countries and the variety of gastronomic shows. A strong emphasis will be placed on sustainability, particularly the “From Farm to Fork” philosophy, highlighting responsible ingredient sourcing, sustainable agriculture, and minimizing food waste.
