Today we’d like to introduce you to Maral Arslanian.
Maral, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Cooking has always been a huge part of my life. As an Armenian, food is high on the priority list. So, since I was a little girl, I spent gatherings in the kitchen with the women of my family getting schooled on their recipes. But my background has always been in design. More recently, I’ve been working in the Miami fashion industry for the past five years, from technical design to production, from styling to sales. The business engulfs you, it’s fast-paced and wasn’t feeling meaningful to me anymore.
Covid-19 struck for us all, and I was furloughed from my job – A blessing in disguise. I had been thinking about a career change for the past six months before Covid and I could just not let go of the job security. I call it a blessing because it accelerated that decision for me. In that moment, I started to cook for a small group, mainly friends, simply to see what the reaction to traditional Armenian dishes would be. And they were a hit!
Armenian food is certainly not common in Miami so the Armenians I know here are looking for the taste of home, and the food-curious Miami community is always willing to taste something different and new. I put a lot of love into what I do and it is tremendously fulfilling to share that love with others. Having my Armenian heritage be such a huge part of The Spicy Dolma’s identity gives me a chance to talk about and connect to where I come from. I was asked to come back to my job once things settled back down, and I decided not to. So here I am, cooking, feeling fulfilled, and happy!
Has it been a smooth road?
The transition into the food community has felt natural. On the other hand, and on a personal level, I foresee it continuing to be a huge learning curve. But one of the main reasons I left my job was because I felt like I was no longer learning. So although this leap is a clear challenge, I find it exciting to grind and learn again.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Spicy Dolma brings Armenian inspired small-batch soul food to your home. On the menu, you’ll see things like Lahmajun – Armenian style beef or vegetable flatbread, Dolma – a variety of stuffed vegetables, Belén Salad – a hearty eggplant and red pepper salad sprinkled with date bits and cashews, and much more!
The most popular dish so far has been “Mante”, which currently has a waiting list until December. Making it is quite an elaborate process so it is made once per month with a limited quantity. I describe it as an open-faced beef filled crispy ravioli that is then served with yogurt, broth and herbs and put together at home.
“Let’s go grab some Armenian food” is not something you hear, ever, in Miami. So it fills me with pride to begin to introduce this gastronomy to the community. As well as give those who have tasted this food before an opportunity to re-connect with it. There’s exciting plans and new delicious dishes on the horizon!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think the beauty of Miami is in our diversity. And with it, our curiosity to taste and experience new things. I have to say the food community in particular has been everything a business like mine could hope for! I have found people have been excited to learn about what I do, and once they’ve tasted my food, they’re even more excited to share about it…they want their friends to experience it as well. The answer is yes if it’s meaningful to you start, keep going, and all is coming.
Pricing:
- Dishes range from $18-$25
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thespicydolma.com
- Email: thespicydolma@gmail.com
- Instagram: the_spicy_dolma
Image Credit:
Eugenio Mazzinghi
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