Hugo Danaguezian’s vegan kabocha squash fatteh

His name is Hugo Danaguezian, he is 29 years old. He was born in Lyon and grew up in the Beaujolais region. With a father of Armenian origin, born in Lebanon, and a French mother of Italian origin, he fell in love with cooking at a very early age, swept away by a passion that made « sense » to him. « I remember a trip to Lebanon when I was 10 as one of the first ‘culinary revelations’ of my life, and certainly a defining moment in the chef I have become: the profusion of different dishes, the mix of hot and cold, and the aesthetics of the mezze table are all discoveries from that summer of 2004 that continue to influence my cooking today. »

At 18, keen on new technologies, he chose a traditional academic path, attending preparatory classes in economics and social sciences before going on to Edhec business school. « I started my career in this industry, while maintaining my passion for cooking and promising myself that I would open my own restaurant before I turned 30. »

He succeeded in 2025 with the opening of the Maz Mez restaurant in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, where he explores « the cultural and culinary heritage of the Lebanese diaspora, to prove that Lebanese cuisine and culture are not frozen in time, but constantly evolving as Lebanese people migrate and encounter new cultures. »

Hugo had naturally shared behind-the-scenes details of this adventure on his @pari-beyrouth account on TikTok and Instagram, where he also shares his passion for cooking.