Having emigrated from Armenia as soon as he turned 18, Aik Veyshtort returned from Russia a famous chef just recently. He was hired by Seasons restaurant and has earned the love and recognition of the patrons quite quickly thanks to his unique Armenian recipes. After studying and working in other countries, Aik decided to dedicate this period of his life to Armenia and change the “wrong attitude” that he believes the majority here has towards restaurants, chefs, and cuisine in general.

Aik introduces new culture via his own example: he prepares traditional Armenian dishes in unprecedented ways, putting an idea into each dish, and often leaves the kitchen to meet the patrons.  The chef has talked to GastroVino about coming back Armenia, making a change, supporting the youth and eating good food. 

Aik Konstantine Veyshtort 

I am an Armenian with a non-Armenian last name. My father is Armenian, my mother is of a mixed Polish and Jewish descent, leaning more into the Jewish side, and I took her last name. I’m asked about my nationality only in Armenia, nowhere else. 

I was born in Yerevan and lived here until I was in the 8th grade. I had worked with a friend since the age of 13. First we washed cars and then we started working in the kitchen. There was a café in the downtown and we applied there for the vacancy of dishwasher, but we were told: “Forget it.” I do hire 15 and 16-year-olds. By the way, I still work with that friend. He’s a sous chef!

As soon as I got my passport, I left the country immediately. I just pursued my destiny. There was no future here in the early 2000s: everyone made the traditional “khorovats” (Armenian barbeque – GastroVino.am) and I didn’t want to do it. If you want to achieve something, you have to leave your comfort zone.

Pursuing your destiny 

I went to Kyiv and worked as a cook there. After the trial period and a few years of work, I became the chef. As I started earning well, I saved some money and took internships and attended workshops, which aren’t cheap at all. They might actually cost up to EUR 10,000! I went to the first such workshop 6 years ago. We lived in Kazakhstan, my wife was pregnant then, and while I was still studying in Moscow, she called me and said I had to return urgently, because the baby was due any moment.

In 2011-2013, I worked in Kazakhstan, at a private restaurant for VIP individuals (we served the president and different delegations, organized open-air banquets). In the next two years I worked as brand chef in Zima restaurant, in Belgorod city. I also worked as brand chef of 7 restaurants of Ginza Project. Before returning to Armenia, I was invited to Moscow to open Selection restaurant.

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I trained in Madrid at La Cabra (1 Michelin star, the chef - Javier Aranda) and Coque (2 Michelin stars, the chef – Mario Sandoval) restaurants, and studied at Hofmann Culinary School in Barcelona.

The voice of the heart

I came to Armenia to have a look at Seasons, planning to stay if I liked it. Something happened in my heart, the love for Armenia just awakened. I felt quiet calmness in my mind in Yerevan, and I still get goosebumps when I recall that moment… 

You are always in a hurry in Moscow, like a hamster on a wheel. Here it is quiet and calm, like at home. That is why I decided it was time to come back, although I didn’t plan it at all. I never thought I’d return to Armenia.

I have lived in four countries: Spain, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Armenia. One day I will move to Barcelona, when my kids are older. The elder is 5 and the younger will be born soon.

Putting an idea into every dish 

I visited plenty of spots in Yerevan and noticed that most dishes were the same. There is little creativity. I liked Limone Cascade, it really stood out for me. There has to be an idea in the dish. Many spots were like a buffet, but they were called restaurants.

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Aik Veyshtort | Image by: personal archive

We need to develop the sense of taste and try new things all the time. Apart from working, I ate at top restaurants. By the way, a few days ago something stunning happened to me. I was suggesting to the patron a new dish, a beef cheek recipe. He seemed to be a cultured, educated man, but he said: “I don’t understand what it is, so I’m not trying it.” I explained it was a meat dish, and he said: “I’ll just have Caesar salad…”

We should eat less, but eat good food. In Armenia, there is still the mentality of spending less and eating more.

The chef is the heart of the restaurant

The chef is the heart of the restaurant. You go there to eat, don’t you want to know who prepared your food? There is history and someone’s fate, life behind every dish.

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Restaurant owners should not treat their cooks like slaves and tell them their place is by the stove. Isn’t it the cook that earns the owner the money? When the owner and the chef work together, the chef comes into the picture.

Although, the cooks should be educated and cultured enough to be able to converse with the patrons, be interesting, and have something to say.

“I came here to make a change” 

I want to change people’s attitude towards chefs and all cooks in general. Chefs can be as famous as rock stars in the West, but who are they in Armenia?

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In other countries everyone understands that a chef’s job is hard: you work on your feet 16 hours a day and you have no time left for personal life. I haven’t taken a vacation in five successive years, I just went to workshops. Becoming a cook is a conscious decision, and all cooks are crazy. It is the most thankless job in CIS countries: you do your job flawlessly for a year, make one mistake and people call you the worst. The attitude is different in the West.

Supporting each other 

I want to support young chefs in Armenia.

Four of my young chefs will travel to St. Petersburg in September. I’m sending them to workshops organized by my friend chefs and they don’t have to pay for anything. I try to secure both accommodation and food for them, because I’m friends with everyone there and we always support each other. 

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Aik Veyshtort | Image by: personal archive

My other friends, famous foreign chefs, will visit me soon and we’ll hold a few joint events in Armenia. We will form an association too, which will unite all creative young chefs interested in new Armenian cuisine, and organize workshops for them.

Nearly ten creative young Armenians have written to me recently, telling they wanted to come here and join me in my efforts. It’s so inspiring!

Amalie Khachatryan 

Photos courtesy of Aik Veyshtort and Seasons Armenia