Celebrity Life

With a masters degree in fashion, Russian-born Londoner Liana Kazaryan had never imagined she would end up working with food, let alone become the Founder and Brand Director of superfood restaurant Avobar. Yet here she is, with two restaurant venues in London and Hong Kong.

Following a series of pop-ups, Avobar opened its first location in London before making its Hong Kong debut in 2019 in Tsim Sha Tsui's K11 Musea. The concept, as I'm sure you've guessed, is dedicated to the fruit fuelling a multibillion dollar industry: the avocado and offers an all-avocado menu. Having expanded from one food capital to another, Avobar is the health-conscious food business that also gets the popularity vote. Ahead, we catch up with Kazaryan to find out how she achieved that and how she plans to sustain it.

Name: Liana Kazaryan
Profession: Founder and Brand Director of Avobar
Industry: Food and beverage
Start up since: 2018

[caption id="attachment_206393" align="alignnone" width="1431"] Liana Kazaryan of Avobar | Photo: Jade Sarkhel[/caption]

Tell us about Avobar.
Avobar is an all day superfood restaurant with a menu inspired by the ultimate superfood -- the avocado! We are bringing vibrancy to healthy eating with our creative and nutritious dishes.

What’s behind the name?
The name reflects the ‘mono ingredient’ concept of the avocado bar, where each dish contains the hero ingredient in some way.

Tell me about your best and worst day at work?
Best days are those that flow. Guests are happy, the team is at their best, ideas click and everything seems to be working in synergy.
There are no worst days as long as we’re moving forward. I accept all challenges as a natural part of the process.

[caption id="attachment_206401" align="alignnone" width="1650"] Avo Beef Bun at Avobar Hong Kong[/caption]

What do you do when you’re not at work?
Eat some more! I love travelling; making time for friends and loved ones is important to me; and I try to squeeze in some ‘me’ time which sometimes means working out, other times listening to a fascinating podcast about anything from wellness to neuroscience, or getting lost in something creative that I’m into at that moment.

Looking back now, what would you have done differently?
I would go back to every time I ignored my intuition and followed it.

What is a normal work day like for you?
A normal day in London starts and finishes with communication with Hong Kong. I try to reserve the earliest and latest hours of the day for all the emails, phone calls and questions for Avobar in Hong Kong. The middle section varies day-to-day, which is what I love about my work: it is rarely monotonous.

[caption id="attachment_206402" align="alignnone" width="1411"] Avobar Hong Kong is located in K11 Musea[/caption]

What advice would you give to someone looking to start up?
I always say: it starts with self-awareness. Are you driven and passionate enough to be married to your project? If so, the rest is figure-out-able.

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing what you do now?
I would still have a start up, perhaps to do with fashion or property in an innovative way.

As a child, what did you aspire to be?
I fluctuated between a fashion designer and a dancer.

[caption id="attachment_206403" align="alignnone" width="1495"] The many benefits of avocados include boosting heart and digestive health[/caption]

What has been your biggest hurdle? How did you overcome it?
I have quite an empathetic nature, so learning that letting go of the people that do not fit or aren’t fully onboard with the company’s vision and values sooner rather than later is beneficial for both parties, took a minute.

How hands-on are you?
As the founder and brand director, I am involved in every aspect of Avobar operations. At the same time, I trust and give space to my team towards decision-making.

Why is Hong Kong an important market for you and Avobar?
Hong Kong is notorious for its food scene and it is indeed incredibly vibrant, so it was always an exciting prospect to enter this market. People here are open and enthusiastic about new and original ideas and we feel lucky to have been welcomed so warmly.

[caption id="attachment_206404" align="alignnone" width="1653"] The Orange salmon is just one of many Instagram-friendly dishes at Avobar[/caption]

If you were to invest in another start up, which would it be?
Whatever offers to help people in an innovative way.

How do you define success? Do you consider yourself successful?
A sense of purpose and fulfilment is certainly a part of the definition of success for me. Feeling like you came out from the process a changed person, as well as having contributed to other people’s lives in any positive way is also a part of the definition. Every day feels different, but I do consider myself successful when I check in with my definition of success.

What are your goals for 2020? And in the near future?
2020 has already revealed itself as the year for adaptation and flexibility. We are taking this onboard and diversifying into creative projects at Avobar that I am very excited to share when the time is right. A collaboration with a well-known and well-loved brand close to (Hong Kong) home is coming in the summer.

The post Startup Life: Liana Kazaryan of Avobar on Superfood Success appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most exciting culinary capitals, where good food is more than abundant. In that light, we’ve put together a few of our tastiest tidbits and most memorable morsels that are worth tracking down to try.

Sushi Zo

This LA-born Japanese restaurant is another of Tai Kwun's recent openings to hit Hong Kong's lively dining scene. Having found success in Tokyo and Bangkok, along with some coveted Michelin stars in Los Angeles and New York, Sushi Zo is another Japanese omakase concept to join a plethora of others. But is it a welcome addition? Well, try the otoro and we think you'll find the answer. Caught fresh from the seas off Nagasaki, this nigiri uses unctuous fatty tuna which is seared, ever so slightly, and topped with Australian winter truffle. The layer of nutty earthiness it adds is one thing, but the way it finishes clean in your mouth is another. It's an excellent, and really rather clever, piece of sushi.

Sushi Zo, LG1/F, Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2884 0114

The Legacy House

If you read our Rosewood Hong Kong hotel review, then you'll know that we loved most of the food at their Chinese restaurant The Legacy House. In fact, we've been meaning to return as we can't stop thinking about one particular dish: stewed water bamboo shoots with conpoy, dried shrimp and Chinese celery. Seemingly simple, the dish plays with the textures of finely shredded bamboo shoots, firm and meaty dried shrimps, and crunchy slices of celtuce. But it's the fish broth itself that will stun you: Rich, flavourful and almost creamy, you won't want to miss one drop of this beauty.

The Legacy House, 5/F Rosewood Hong Kong Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong; +852 3891 8732

La Rambla by Catalunya

There are many reasons to visit sleek Spanish restaurant La Rambla by Catalunya in ifc mall -- weekend brunch and the new terrace for alfresco cocktails, amongst them -- but there's also one more reason: the eel & foie dish. Here, soft and meaty smoked eel is enveloped in thin and perfectly al dente pillows of homemade ravioli before being served with creamy carbonara and pan-fried foie gras. It's part of the Chef’s Table degustation experience in which the menu evolves from season to season. My advice? Go now before it's taken off the menu!

La Rambla by Catalunya, 3071-73 Level 3, ifc mall, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2661 1161

Nectar

Chef Peggy Chan's newest venture, Nectar, has officially opened its doors (it's in the same space that Grassroots Pantry was in) and offers progressive plant-based cuisine to Hong Kong's discerning diners. And with dishes such as a vegan cheese course and purslane (a type of succulent) fettuccine, it's no wonder we're all a little intrigued. One particular dish I would recommend to try is the 'faux gras', that's right -- faux not foie -- gras cream combined with local organic figs, crunchy water bamboo and tangy sorrel leaves. Made from raw cashews, tahini, raw cacao butter, miso and a little bit of brandy and truffle oil for fragrance, the faux gras is just as luscious and buttery as the real deal. Plus, no ducks were harmed in the making of this dish.

Nectar, G/F, Centrestage, 108 Hollywood Rd, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong; +852 2873 3353

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Sichuan Lab

Yes, some of the dishes at Sichuan Lab are indeed fiery, but others focus more on region's variety of flavour -- be it peppery, salty, bitter, sweet or sour. One such dish is the pan-fried pork dumplings filled with pepper. With this dish, chef Chan Kai Tak uses the Cambodian 'king of pepper', otherwise known as the Kampot pepper, which is extremely rare thanks to the difficulty in harvesting mature peppercorns and ia often exorbitantly priced. It's combined with juicy cuts of Sichuan cured pork, wrapped in pastry and topped with sesame seeds -- a refreshing and less mouth-numbing way to enjoy Sichuan cuisine.

Sichuan Lab, G/F, Lodgewood by L’hotel Wan Chai Hong Kong, 28 Tai Wo Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 3126 6633

Old Bailey

Not that we needed another excuse to order a bowl of noodles at Jiangnan restaurant Old Bailey, but here it is -- the clams hand-pulled noodles with chilli. This comforting and traditional serving of noodles is dressed in a slightly sweet and savoury chilli sauce which adds a good spice kick to the delicate strands of noodles. It's then topped with the sweet and briny morsels of seafood to add flavour and bite to the whole dish. If you like seafood and noodles, then there is no doubt that this is the dish for you.

Old Bailey, 2/F JC Contemporary, Tai Kwun, Old Bailey Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2877 8711

Meats

If you haven't been yet, then you might like to know that Meats is a restaurant that offers, you guessed it, meats. But it's not just any old meat. From rotisserie chicken to grilled hanger steak, pork ribs to lamb shoulder, Meats promises juicy, tender meat across the board. In fact, they also introduce special cuts on the restaurant’s board daily, which is a great opportunity to taste a range of different kinds. We opted for the Iberian porchetta, which was cooked to perfection and sliced to serve with crunchy pork cracking and a delightfully herbaceous green salsa that perfectly cut through all the rich meat.

Meats, G/F 28 – 30, Staunton Street, Soho, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2711 1812

Avobar

Avocados are the golden fruit of global trade thanks to a Millennial obsession with avocado toast, so it's no wonder that avocado-themed restaurants like Avobar (originally from London) have hit our food capital, too. Another new concept in the cultural-retail destination K11 Musea, Avobar's menu is full of toasts, buns, pancakes, salads and even cocktails that feature the nutrient-dense superfood. During the soft opening, we enjoyed a dish that is exclusive to Hong Kong -- the pasilla chilli and mushroom risotto with miso zuke cod -- which combines into a creamy and umami-rich dish that, amazingly, still feels healthy to eat.

Avobar, Shop B201-4, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

The post The Top 8 Dishes We Ate in September 2019 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.