Chef Tom Sarafian to open Zareh khorovat restaurant and Sarafian deli and sandwich bar in Melbourne CBD

One of Melbourne's young gunslingers in Middle Eastern cuisine is about to open not only his first solo restaurant, but also a deli and sandwich bar. In the winter, Tom Sarafian, whose last permanent chef stint was in 2021 at Bar Saracen, will head the kitchen at Zareh, a CBD restaurant part of The Mulberry Group (Hazel, Lilac Wine, et al).

Named after Sarafian's grandfather (who was also a chef), Zareh will delve into the young chef's Armenian heritage, with grilled meats known as khorovats as a centerpiece of the menu. In the kitchen, a custom-made barbecue will be accompanied by a wood-burning oven that will burn breads from all over the Levant, the Caucasus and North Africa.

Sarafian recently visited Los Angeles, home to one of the largest Armenian populations outside the country.

“Khorovats, Armenian barbecue, was a real highlight of the trip,” says the chef. “The flavors of marinated and grilled meats seasoned with garlic, chilli and onion, served with pickled vegetables, lots of fresh herbs and fruit-based sauces, wrapped in fresh lavash.”

Grilled meat is so central to Armenian social life that journalist Irina Petrosian has described khorovats as “an Armenian word for life lived to the fullest and celebration of good times,” a statement Sarafian fully agrees with. OK.

“Although I would say that in Melbourne, you don't have to wait for good weather to celebrate khorovats,” he adds.

When Sarafian was head chef at Bar Saracen (part owned by Rumi's Joseph Abboud), he created a series of dishes like hummus topped with shrimp and crab, omelette fat and ma-amoul (sweet crackers) stuffed with cheese. Since that restaurant closed, the chef has kept busy with his eponymous retail line that includes handmade hummus, as well as frequent events and pop-ups.

“Like most of the city, I've been a big fan of Tom and his food for a long time,” said Nathan Toleman of The Mulberry Group. “We spent months working on the concept, finding something totally unique that only Tom could deliver.”

The restaurant and deli, called Sarafian, will serve salads, breakfast and Arabic coffee, as well as sandwiches and wraps including traditional fresh Lebanese pita sandwiches, shawarma and toasted kaak (bag-shaped rolls topped with sesame seeds), which can be fill up. with cheese or sujuk (spicy sausage).

A trip to Lebanon in 2022, where Sarafian fell in love with hearty, bright breakfasts, inspired his brunch menu at the Australian Open in January and will fuel ideas for the daytime restaurant.

The deli will sell spices and pickles imported from Lebanon, and Sarafian will make cheeses and cured meats, expanding its range of products beyond the dips that bear its name.