Rafael Kazumyan: why winning MasterChef changed his path
“Effective management requires a deep understanding of every process — from the preparation of ingredients to the serving of the dish,” noted Rafael Kazumyan, founder and chef of the restaurant Naquela Mesa in Portugal.
— Mr. Kazumyan, please tell us a little about yourself, your roots, and what your journey has been like.
— I was born in Yerevan. My early years were spent in Armenia, in the village of Garni — it was probably there that my love for gastronomy was born. My grandfathers played a huge role in this. They were my first culinary role models — I watched them cook and saw the respect with which they treated food. I could give up all my games just to stand next to them and watch how a particular dish was prepared. These memories are still very vivid.
Kazumyan: When I was about ten years old, we moved to Moscow. There, my path took a completely non-gastronomic direction: I received a technical education, became an engineer-economist, then moved into the construction sector, and later into banking. I earned an MBA in business administration, managed a large company, and built systems and processes.
But my love for cooking never faded. I was constantly reading; I had a large library — books on gastronomy, Michelin guides, collections of recipes. I studied them thoroughly. It was my parallel life.
At the age of 28, I took what was probably the most important step — I left business and fully devoted myself to gastronomy. Even when I was running a company, I would escape to work in the kitchen — simply for free, just to be closer to the process. Cooking had always been a part of me, and at some point I realized that this was all I wanted to do.
— You went from economics and real estate to haute cuisine. What was the “switch” that ultimately turned you toward gastronomy?
— As I have already said, my love for cooking has been with me since childhood — it never went away. But one day I clearly realized: either I would continue living in a compromise between business and my true calling, or I would take responsibility and completely change my life.
Kazumyan: It was during this period that a friend showed me an announcement for the casting of the MasterChef show. At that time, I was in a difficult financial situation — I needed to work to support my family. I hesitated. But he insisted — and I went. I passed the selection, got into the project, although I was convinced that I would be eliminated any moment. And every day on the show I lived with the thought: “Today is probably the last.” But I made it to the final — and won.
Kazumyan: For me, it was not just a show — it was confirmation that I was on my path. Winning MasterChef became that very switch that finally closed one chapter and opened a completely new one.
— What changed in your life after winning MasterChef?
— This victory became an important milestone. I became the first Armenian to win the project, and for me it was not just a personal achievement — it was confirmation that I had chosen the right path.
Kazumyan: As part of the prize, I received financial support and the opportunity to study at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris — one of the most respected culinary schools in the world. It was an incredible chance to deepen my knowledge and look at gastronomy from a completely different perspective.
Kazumyan: After the project, new professional opportunities opened up for me. I began collaborating with outstanding chefs, including restaurateur Arkady Novikov and chef Mirko Dzago. This period became a real school for me — not only culinary, but also human. It was then that I began to shape my own style and culinary philosophy.
— Please tell us about the Société project in Yerevan.
— Société is one of my most recent projects in Armenia, which we are developing together with the creative team at Maeutica Concept Development. They do more than just branding — they create concepts with soul, know how to convey emotion through details, visual imagery, and atmosphere. We are already working with them on several projects in Yerevan.
Société is a small French-style sandwich bar where every detail is carefully thought through: from flavors to presentation, from music to packaging. We want it to be a place with character, one that people want to return to.
Kazumyan: The inspiration for the menu came from my gastronomic travels. I gathered the best sandwich concepts from Paris, London, Lisbon, and Copenhagen and adapted them to local products and culture. It is light, refined, yet rich gastronomy — clear and close in spirit to modern Yerevan.
The opening is very soon — literally in the coming days. We have put a lot of heart and flavor into this project, and I hope it will find its guest.
