Bread controversy between Armenia and Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan (MNTV) — A renewed cultural debate has emerged between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the origins of lavash, the thin flatbread widely consumed across the South Caucasus and Central Asia, after recent international reports described it as “Armenian bread.”

Azerbaijani culinary officials and historians have challenged the characterization, arguing that lavash is a shared regional food deeply rooted in multiple cultures, including those of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Iran, Kazakhstan, and other Turkic-speaking communities, where it has been a staple for centuries.

The controversy follows a CNN feature that highlighted Armenian culinary traditions involving lavash, including the ceremonial custom of spinning the bread over newlyweds’ heads to symbolize abundance and prosperity. The report also detailed traditional baking methods, in which thin dough is rolled on a grass- or wool-stuffed cushion and baked by sticking it to the inner walls of a cone-shaped clay oven.

Farhad Ashurbeyli, executive director of the Azerbaijan Culinary Specialists Association, said the coverage relied too heavily on subjective interpretations and lacked historical balance.

“The work presented by Armenia in 2014 under the title ‘Lavash: Preparation, Essence and Cultural Manifestations of Traditional Bread in Armenia’ was included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity,” Ashurbeyli said.

“However, it should not be considered an exclusive product of Armenia. Lavash is part of the heritage of Azerbaijan and other countries.”

He said global perceptions have been shaped by active diaspora promotion and international marketing. “In some countries, like France, a stereotype has formed that lavash is ‘Armenian bread.’ Armenians have succeeded in promoting it through trade and cultural branding. Bloggers tend to describe what they see locally without investigating deeper origins,” he added.

Azerbaijan has also sought international recognition of its culinary heritage. In 2016, lavash — together with Katırma, Zhupka, and Yufka — was jointly submitted to UNESCO by Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List during the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Committee in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from November 28 to December 2, 2016.

Ashurbeyli said strengthening international advocacy remained key. “We can establish associations for Azerbaijani products just as there are for Turkish döner, Italian pizza, and German sausage. Azerbaijan is a relatively young independent country and began systematic promotion later than others, but progress is real,” he said.

He pointed to the rapid growth of tourism and gastrotourism over the past decade, noting that Azerbaijani cuisine is increasingly visible on the global stage.

He also referenced linguistic arguments, saying the term “lavash” has Turkic linguistic roots meaning “layered food,” underscoring its broader Turkic cultural context.