A new culinary destination takes shape in Gyumri
A revitalised historic market, a free culinary school, and a new home for local producers are at the heart of an ambitious project to bring new life to Gyumri’s city centre.
The Gyumri Market and Culinary School, an initiative by TUMO Center for Creative Technologies supported by the European Union, aims to transform the city’s abandoned historic market area into a vibrant destination for education, local commerce, and tourism.
The project recently reached another milestone as its second steering committee meeting brought together EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Kristina Tataryan, Tourism Committee Chair Anushik Avetyan, and World Bank Armenia Office Urban Development Specialist Nora Mirzoyan at TUMO Gyumri. The meeting focused on progress to date, upcoming milestones, and the next steps towards bringing the complex to life.
The planned development will include 141 modern hygienic market stalls for local merchants, six restaurants and cafés, a garden and greenhouse, and a free culinary school that will train 48 young people each year. TUMO is partnering with Institut Lyfe in Lyon, France, one of Europe’s leading culinary education institutions, to develop the school’s educational programme.
For students, the school will offer a pathway into the culinary profession, combining practical learning with an opportunity to explore Armenia’s rich food heritage. For farmers and food producers across Shirak, the market will provide a dedicated space to sell their products and connect directly with customers. Restaurants and cafés will complete the ecosystem, creating a place where local ingredients can move from farm to market to table.
For the European Union, support for the initiative reflects a broader commitment to creating opportunities across Armenia’s regions. International partnerships can open doors for Armenian students and businesses, but investment in local communities is equally important to ensuring that people can build their futures at home.
As planning continues, the Gyumri Market and Culinary School is taking shape as more than a redevelopment project. It is a vision for a living, working destination where education, local enterprise, and cultural heritage reinforce one another. When complete, the historic market area is intended to become a place where young chefs learn their craft, Shirak’s producers find new customers, and residents and tourists gather around the food and traditions that make Gyumri distinctive. By bringing these elements together in the city centre, the project aims to turn a once-abandoned space into a new source of opportunity and pride for the region.
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