Armenia’s annual Dolma Festival will return on May 24, bringing together chefs, visitors and culinary enthusiasts to celebrate dolma — one of the country’s signature dishes — through tastings, competitions and cultural performances.

The event will take place at the Zvartnots Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve in Vagharshapat, about 18 km west of Yerevan.

“During the festival, there will be more than 30 pavilions where chefs will present a wide variety of dolma dishes,” said Ani Nazaryan, Festivals Program Manager at the Armenian Cookery Traditions Development and Preservation NGO, led by master chef Sedrak Mamulyan.

The festival will also feature a chefs’ competition in several categories, including Best Taste, Best Appearance, Best Idea and Grand Winner, with winners selected by a professional jury. Visitors will additionally enjoy Armenian traditional music and dance performances, while Ethno Colors Band will deliver a live performance.

Sedrak Mamulyan, President of the Armenian Cookery Traditions Development and Preservation NGO, said the festival is a good opportunity to showcase and promote Armenian national cuisine and, in turn, increase the country’s appeal to tourists.

Mamulyan noted that the festival will feature special varieties of dolma prepared with unusual recipes.

“This active tourism season is an opportunity to present Armenia’s national cuisine to guests visiting the country. I should note that more than 60 varieties of dolma will be presented within the framework of the festival. From the selection of previous years, I would like to highlight dolma prepared in pumpkin flowers or with seafood. Truly, varieties of dolma with very interesting recipes will be presented,” Mamulyan said.

He noted that this is a good platform for presenting dishes prepared with traditional recipes, as well as chefs’ new ideas. The Armenian Cookery Traditions Development and Preservation NGO has been conducting long-term research to rediscover forgotten recipes of national cuisine.

Mekhak Apresyan, President of the Armenian Tourism Federation, highlighted the significance of the Dolma Festival.

“This festival is a unique tourism product and a platform for shaping and developing other programs. It is of significant importance in terms of increasing Armenia’s tourism appeal.”

More than 30 international journalists and bloggers have been invited to cover the Dolma Festival, and over 5,000 visitors are expected to attend.