·S1 E21
He Wrote the Book on Artsakh's Food. Two Years Later, Artsakh Was Gone. | Ara Zada
Episode Description
He grew up thinking hummus was Armenian food. It took a trip to Armenia in 2015 to realize how much he didn't know — and it sent him village to village, recipe to recipe, all the way to Artsakh, documenting a cuisine right before the world changed.
Ara Zada is a chef, bestselling author, and the person who arguably made Armenian food cool to people who'd never heard the word before. In this conversation, we talk about what it means to document a place and then lose access to it, the diaspora question nobody says out loud — whether he was ever told he wasn't Armenian enough — what hate actually looks like in his comment section versus his DMs, and the immigrant grit behind his grandfather's journey from doctor to janitor to business owner.
He also explains why choosing joy isn't the same as avoiding grief, and gives one of the most useful, three-word philosophies on mastering anything we've heard on this show.
Filmed at The Reserve Lounge, where luxury cigars, private events, and curated experiences come together, an elevated setting for conversation.
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This episode is presented in partnership with Garikimot, luxury lakefront vacation rentals set in the gated Terra Lago community of Indio, California, minutes from Palm Springs and Coachella. Private saltwater pools, lake and mountain views, and space for groups of up to 23. Plan your stay at garikimot.com.
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Watch the full episode of INSIGHT — the first Armenian-English podcast on power and influence in the US — and follow for new episodes every week.
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – The Book
0:38 – "Cole" Means Eat: Growing Up in the Kitchen
2:33 – Realizing It Was a Career, Not a Hobby
5:20 – Armenian Food vs. the Fitness Obsession
7:42 – The Least Healthy Cuisines, Ranked
8:53 – The First Trip to Armenia That Changed Everything
11:26 – What Is "The" Armenian Dish?
12:15 – "Have You Ever Been Told You Weren't Armenian Enough?"
13:32 – What Genocide Erased
17:14 – The Cost of Fame
18:22 – Thank Your Haters
19:24 – What Hate Actually Looks Like
20:00 – The Turkish DMs Nobody Sees
36:58 – His Grandfather: Doctor, Janitor, Immigrant
37:17 – "I'll Show You How We Make Money Cooking"
39:44 – Chef, Author, Bow Hunter, Father: Which One Is Real?
41:07 – The 365-Hour Rule
42:53 – "Cavd Tanem, Let Me Take Your Pain"
43:12 – Choosing Joy Over Sorrow
43:51 – Closing: What He Hopes People Feel
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