Conversations with Diana Kirakosyan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Kirakosyan

Hi Diana, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am Diana Kirakosyan, from Armenia. It’s a country with ancient traditions, deep roots and bright culture. We have a very multilayered cuisine, which is a result of our diverse history and cultural influences. I could say that one of the key elements of our culture is the sun, both in visual arts and gastronomic culture.
Our cuisine is a combination of different tastes and aromas, and we have a very specific attitude towards food combinations. Thus, for example, I often see old recipes where meat is cooked with dry fruits, honey and sweet spices. We have many different foods that are known throughout the world and represent the regions, empires we were once part of.

I know that many people know our traditional bread lavash and I’m sure that Kim Kardashian has also paid a huge role in popularizing this name amongst the fans of “Keeping up with Kardashians”. It is flat, thin and soft bread baked in an underground clay oven we call ‘toneer’ and can be dried and kept for quite a long time. Its is very diet-friendly, so many local beauties prefer lavash to any other type of bread. In 2014, “Lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia” was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

For Armenians food culture is highly important and is a huge part of their identity. We show our love through cooking and sharing food, we connect through it and create our memories. Since we have a huge history of migration, genocide and experience of loss, food is also a way to keep memories.

I have a big Armenian family. Our family events were always something special. They were like feasts of colors and smells and a great mood. That created a sense of love towards cooking and at the same time art of presenting meals to people. I started loving it more and more and when I already had a family of my own, I continued my mom`s traditions of organizing these lovely warm gatherings, sharing new, exciting recipes with my loved ones and of course, meals, we all loved since childhood. Moving to Los Angeles with it`s diversity of cultures gave me so much inspiration to explore new tastes, to experiment with old recipes and find new ways of representing them.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The main struggle is to find time for creating content consistently. As a mom of two, who loves spending time with her kids and an active person, who’s always busy with new ideas and may end up organizing a big charity event at the end of a month, it’s really hard to find time for myself. But if you want something you’ll always find a way of doing it.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My first profession is marketologist and I have a decade of experience in that field. I imagined, that`s what I`ll do in LA as well, work for a company, do marketing. But I accidentally became a food blogger and you know what, I really love it, it`s so creative and inspirational and I love reading my follower`s feedback, checking new recipes they share or knowing I inspired someone to make the most romantic dinner in their life. I love sharing my experiences and triggering interest, curiosity and love towards cooking. I make easy recipes for that reason, I want to show that being surrounded by beauty is a matter of attitude, you often don`t need that much to turn your everyday meal into a memorable feats, you just need the right mood and desire. And I`m happy to be the one that shares the right mood with my audience.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Fashion has always held a special place in my heart and is always connected to earliest memories of my mom.
As a kid I remember her sewing me dresses, we`d go to textile stores to pick fabrics for my dress and those moments have always been so special for me. It was her way of showing her love and her support to me, sewing me dresses I dreamed to have, but couldn`t due to specifics of the market or our location. She`d create such daring ,bright combinations and for me it was her way of empowering me and helping to not be afraid of benign myself, just the way I am.

I think it`s all inspired by my mom, her incredible sewing skills. When the pandemic hit, I found myself confined at home for an extended period. It was during this time that I decided to pursue my dream of creating a new brand called M:albert. This line features stylish t-shirts for women, men, and kids. Collaborating with a talented Armenian painter, we began designing captivating abstract faces of girls and animals to print on the shirts. To my delight, my t-shirt line resonated with people, bringing my vision to life and allowing it to be embraced by many. It was a joyful moment to see my passion come to fruition!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diana_malbertfood/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090281376218
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DianaMalbertFood