i. Biography
The Climb
At ARVI in Quebec City, Mardiros Barsoum works from a Lebanese-Armenian base: Beirut family recipes, his grandmother’s hand, and his father’s rule to start with fresh ingredients. That lineage gives the food its shape—comfort without looseness, memory without drift. “Growing up, I always wanted to be a chef.” Early kitchens at Almayass Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, marked his progression in sequence: Sous Chef, then Executive Chef, then Head Chef. Each step added scope and pressure, and Barsoum used that run of roles to tighten his standards and clarify his approach. He later brought that same discipline to ARVI in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, where the work continued with the same attention to detail.
Today
At ARVI, Barsoum leads as Executive Chef in Quebec City, where Lebanese-Armenian cooking sits in a different market but keeps the same center. The Beirut family table remains present in the food, while the habits formed in Abu Dhabi keep the kitchen exacting. It is restaurant work grounded in private inheritance and carried with professional discipline.
Career - Sous Chef — Almayass Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Executive Chef — Almayass Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Head Chef — Almayass Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Executive Chef — ARVI, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Signature
Mardiros Barsoum’s signature dishes include Kebab Karaz, Mante, and Kebbeh Nayeh. The names themselves place the work in a clear culinary lineage, and together they show a cook moving with restraint, confidence, and memory intact.
In Their Words “Growing up, I always wanted to be a chef.”
Recognition
His signature dishes from Almayass were Kebab Karaz, Mante, and Kebbeh Nayeh, each created during his time there, underscoring the continuity between the kitchens that shaped him and the food he is known for now. One early memory still fits that arc: “The first dish I ever made was at a family barbecue, where I grilled a variety of items.” It is an origin story that feels fittingly direct—an outdoor start to a career built on heat, instinct, and the quiet authority of family table traditions.
FAQ What is Mardiros Barsoum's current role? As of 2026, Mardiros Barsoum is Executive Chef. Where did Mardiros Barsoum work before? Mardiros Barsoum's earlier career included Almayass Abu Dhabi, Almayass Abu Dhabi, and Almayass Abu Dhabi. What is Mardiros Barsoum known for? Lebanese-Armenian cuisine.
