Gastronomic performances are due in Tsaghkunk Restaurant & Glkhatun restaurant in Armenia’s Tsaghkunk village of Gegharkunik region from September 30. World renowned chef Mads Refslund from Denmark is preparing special dinners during which 15 dishes will be served – each with a corresponding wine.

Together with Mads Refslund, hospitality and wine expert from world best Michelin restaurants Veronica Joy Rogov has arrived in Armenia. During these days she is searching, revealing those Armenian wines that will be served at the dinners and works with the restaurant’s staff to ensure high quality service.

We met Veronika in Tsaghkunk Restaurant & Glkhatun restaurant. She greeted us with a wide smile and shared with her impressions of the recent days.

I am trying to find small, independent winemakers

I have been definitely on a journey. I’ve been exploring and doing my best to extract the absolute pure beauty of Armenia. I feel like this country is so eager to progress and to celebrate what else is happening in the world. I want to remind the Armenian people, that there is already so much beauty and purity that already exists here. I’ve been on my own quest of these historical wines of Armenia, and I want to show people that there are really beautiful things they don’t even know about. I think that people get so caught up with these big companies, large productions of wine, and I’m doing my very best to find small, independent farmers, independent winemakers and to celebrate these beautiful secrets that not necessarily everyone knows about. I’m looking for the purest expression of Armenian wine, I want to celebrate indigenous varieties, I want to celebrate the old wines that go beyond hundred years. I’m looking for wines that have a soul and I found those.

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Veronica Joy Rogov | Image by: Mediamax

Historical – this is what takes us to the land of Armenia, this is who and why I want to celebrate. Also organic farming, biodynamic farming is very important, the concept is still very new to Armenian people, but there are winemakers that are making wine like that here. And I want to show people that this is being done and I’m supporting and encouraging more of that. It has been an extraordinary pilgrimage, so it’s been a very spiritual journey. I feel super privileged and honored to be here, and to have an opportunity to explore.  

Be who you are, it’s already enough

I think, that Armenian people as a whole are extremely natural hospitality people. They are warm and generous by nature. I hope to see more development in this country and even having more that development outside the country. There should be more Armenian people opening restaurants all over the world, honestly, I feel that. There is a soulfulness, people want to please․ They want to give to you and it’s natural. So to me this is one of most important things that you cannot teach people. Either you have this feeling in your heart, or you don’t. And the Armenian people really have that. I feel like maybe they want to be a certain way, because French people do this way, or they want to feel like they are more international maybe, and I don’t think that it is so, they just should be who they are. It’s already enough.

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Veronica Joy Rogov | Image by: Mediamax

Sometimes I think we just need to be reminded of that beauty, that we have inside of ourselves. And so I’m here to tell the people that you are amazing already. And so just to feel more relaxed, to feel more comfortable and just be you.

Good food and good service are equally important, but…

I absolutely agree that good food and good service are equally important, but I’ve also had extraordinary experience in restaurants, because the service was so incredible, and the food has not been that great. I think you should not underestimate the power of connection, human connection which make people feel welcomed, make people feel taken care of so-so much. And we should never suggest that the food is more important than the people that are involved.

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Veronica Joy Rogov | Image by: Mediamax

Yes, I go back to restaurant sometimes, if the food is not perfect, but I love going there, because I build the relationship with somebody, or they tell me stories about their family, or they happen to bring me something special that I wouldn’t have experienced before. For me food and wine are the medium that brings people together. And my message always - no matter where I’m in the world - is like I’m in a people business, I’m in relationships, no matter where I am – it’s strangers, or friends I’ve had for twenty years. A warm smile and kind eyes is the universal language and all of us can hear that.

Your roots and heritage make this country so beautiful

I’m very enthusiastic to be here, and I only see so much more promise in the future. My advice to Armenian restaurant culture and to this beautiful country – don’t forget who you already are, don’t feel like you need to be like somebody else, you don’t need to be like these other countries. Just celebrate what already exists here, and encourage all the beautiful things that this country already provides.

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Yana Shakhramanyan interviews Veronica Joy Rogov | Image by: Mediamax

I feel like everybody is in such a hurry to be part of something else and I understand this. I will never understand what this country has gone through and I understand we want to move forward from the past, but don’t forget who you are. The heritage and the roots make this country so beautiful. It’s really-really special place.

World renowned chef, co-founder and former chef of one of the best restaurants in the world - NOMA (Denmark) - Mads Refslund - will give gastronomic performances in Tsaghkunk Restaurant & Glkhatun restaurant from September 30 to October 3 and October 5 to 10.

The cost for the dinner comprising of 15 dishes is AMD 50 000; selection of wines – AMD 30 000.  For reservations call: +374 41 401 890.

Yana Shakhramanyan

Photos: Emin Aristakesyan