Background
Arto Der Haroutunian was born in 1940 in Aleppo, Syria to Armenian parents. His father, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, was from the predominantly Armenian-populated region of Cilicia within the Ottoman Empire.
Arto Der Haroutunian was born in 1940 in Aleppo, Syria to Armenian parents. His father, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, was from the predominantly Armenian-populated region of Cilicia within the Ottoman Empire.
Arto qualified as an architect, having studied at Manchester University.
He established his career designing restaurants, clubs and hotels. This developed into a successful chain of restaurants and hotels. lieutenant was a natural progression that he should then begin to write on Middle Eastern food.
The cookery books combined his love of food with his great interest in the history and culture of the whole region.
He wrote twelve cookery books in total, several of which were translated into foreign languages. He also contributed articles to many magazines and television and radio shows.
As well as his passion for cooking, Arto der Haroutunian was a painter. His other interests included composing music and translating Turkish, Arab, Persian and Armenian authors.
Der Haroutunian died suddenly in 1987 at the age of 47.