24–25 September 2026 | Leonardo Royal Hotel The Hague
The rich culinary traditions of Armenia will take centre stage in The Hague on 24 and 25 September, when the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, in cooperation with Diplomat Magazine and the Leonardo Royal Hotel The Hague, presents the Armenian Food Festival.
H.E. Mr. Viktor Biyagov, Ambassador of Armenia, has announced the dates of the festival, which will bring two Armenian chefs to The Hague especially for the occasion. Over two evenings, guests will be invited to discover the flavours, traditions and hospitality of Armenia through a menu composed of traditional Armenian dishes.
The festival is designed to offer much more than a dinner. Food will serve as a gateway to Armenia’s cultural heritage, creating an opportunity for guests from the diplomatic, business, cultural and international communities to experience the country through its cuisine.
Two chefs, one culinary journey
Among the chefs travelling to The Hague is Stepan Burmistrov, Executive Chef at Richter Moscow, where he has held the position since August 2019. Richter is an innovative, city-centre destination bringing together a hotel, restaurant, gallery, studio, theatre and radio station, and is a member of Design Hotels and HIP Hotels.
Burmistrov has also brought his culinary expertise to the digital world. Since November 2021, he has been the host of Cooking with Stepan Burmistrov, an online culinary programme produced for Ozon, one of Russia’s largest online retail companies. The series has attracted more than 50,000 views.
His previous experience includes serving as Executive Chef at Gourou Club & Garden in Yerevan from 2017 to 2019, as well as working at the Novikov Culinary School and Door 19 in Moscow. His career has therefore given him experience across professional kitchens, culinary education, international cuisine and contemporary food concepts.
Joining him will be Arayik Amzayan, a Yerevan-based chef whose career combines restaurant projects, culinary education, gastronomic events and international competitions.
Amzayan is the founder and chef of Central Kitchen Armenia, founder of Kuwa Izakaya, and Co-Organiser and Brand Chef of Yerevan Food Fest. He is also Co-Founder and Brand Chef of Gastro Camp Armenia and has worked as a project chef and manager for a range of restaurants and hospitality projects in Armenia.
His professional career began in Yerevan in 2012 and has included positions at Avenue Lorange, Diamond House Hotel, Moscafe and Bella Italia, among others. His international competition record includes winning the Silk Road Chef international competition in 2018 and taking first place at Cuisine Taste of Culture in Cairo. He was also a finalist at the WorldSkills International 2013 competition in Leipzig and placed fifth at the Young Chefs Olympiad in India in 2018.
Together, the two chefs will contribute different experiences and perspectives to the festival while maintaining its central purpose: presenting the richness of Armenian cuisine.
A taste of Armenia in The Hague
The Food Festival will be hosted at the Leonardo Royal Hotel The Hague, where the visiting chefs will work closely with the hotel’s culinary team lead by Chef Sido de Brabander. Preparations will begin weeks before the two festival evenings, including coordination of the menu, ingredients and kitchen requirements.
The dinner concept is designed to allow guests to experience a broad selection of Armenian flavours. The menu will feature traditional dishes and will provide an introduction to the country’s culinary identity, from its longstanding traditions to the way Armenian cuisine is interpreted by today’s chefs.
Armenian wines will also be featured during the festival, complementing the traditional cuisine and adding another important dimension to the country’s gastronomic heritage. Armenia has a long winemaking tradition, and the inclusion of Armenian wines will allow guests to discover another aspect of the country’s culinary culture.
The Embassy is also expected to bring the cultural dimension of Armenia into the festival through music, traditional elements, products, decoration and other initiatives. The aim is to create an atmosphere in which guests can experience Armenia beyond the dining table.
For the Embassy of Armenia, the festival provides an opportunity to showcase the country through one of its most accessible and engaging forms of cultural diplomacy. Gastronomy can open conversations about Armenia’s history, traditions, tourism, culture and contemporary identity while bringing together people who might otherwise encounter the country through very different channels.
For Diplomat Magazine, the Armenian Food Festival continues a series of national Food Festivals in The Hague that use gastronomy as a platform for cultural exchange and international engagement. The events bring diplomatic missions together with the hospitality sector and the wider public, creating an informal environment in which countries can present their heritage and contemporary identity.
On 24 and 25 September, the flavours of Armenia will therefore travel to The Hague, carried by two chefs with experience spanning Armenia, Russia and international culinary competitions.
The Armenian Food Festival promises to be an invitation to taste Armenian food; to discover a country through its traditions, creativity, wines and hospitality.
- Armenian Food Festival
24–25 September 2026
Leonardo Royal Hotel The Hague - Email: frontoffice.royaldenhaag@leonardo-hotels.nl
- Phone Number: +31 70 352 5161
