A food passionate, Aline Kamakian began her career as an insurance broker at the age of 18 to put herself into college. Graduated from Université Saint Joseph with a double major in Masters in Finance and Marketing, Aline’s skills as an insurance broker allowed her to build one of Lebanon’s top 9 Brokerage Firms IIC – Insurance & Investment Consultant.

All through her successes, Aline never forgot her love for food but most importantly she never forgot her Armenian roots! She opened in June 2003 “Mayrig” an avant guardiste traditional Armenian restaurant to introduce to all those who appreciate homely, healthy and tasty food, the forgotten flavors of Ancient Armenia.

Since then, Aline has ventured into new concepts, catering in 2004, Batchig in 2013, Made by Mayrig in 2014. She opened new branches of Mayrig in Dubai in 2013 and in Riyadh in 2016, in Maldives in 2017 and Yerevan in 2018.

Aline concentrated most of the years 2010 and 2011 to co-writing her first cook book “Armenian Cuisine” where her research for traditional recipes took her on a journey to Cilicia, present day Eastern Turkey, the ancient Armenia that her grandparents fled following the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Aline was also voted Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 in the BLA – Brilliant Lebanese Awards organized by BLC bank. She is a board member of the Lebanese Franchise Association as well as a board member of the LLWB – Lebanese League of Woman in Business and a successful candidate of the 2014 Vital Voices Fellowship Program.

Mayrig, which means little mother in Armenian is a tribute to all Armenian mothers. In Mayrig we guard over our rich culinary heritage.Mayrig’s food is made with love. All the traditional recipes are prepared by our mothers who work in the kitchen with motherly love and care. This recalls the atmosphere of my grandmother’s house.