Mikael Petrossian: A Century of Caviar, A New Generation of Luxury
For more than a century, the Petrossian name has held a distinguished place in luxury gastronomy, built on one of the world's most coveted delicacies: caviar. Yet behind the prestige lies a story of immigration, ambition and two Armenian brothers who arrived in Paris with little more than their knowledge of a product that French diners had yet to fully appreciate.
Founded by brothers Mouchegh and Melkoum Petrossian, the family business began with an ambition to introduce Russian caviar to the French market, at a time when its distinctive briny flavour was far from universally appreciated. What began as a small Parisian enterprise would eventually become an international institution, with the Petrossian name finding its way into some of the world's finest restaurants, luxury boutiques and even popular culture. Who could forget the deliciously extravagant exchange between Dominique Deveraux and Alexis Carrington in Dynasty, where a reference to Petrossian Beluga became part of one of television's most memorable rivalries?
Today, however, the definition of luxury is changing. Caviar is no longer reserved exclusively for grand celebrations, elaborate dinner parties or the finest silver service. It's increasingly finding its place alongside more unexpected culinary companions, from fried chicken to everyday indulgences such as ice cream, reflecting a generation less concerned with the formalities traditionally associated with fine dining.
For Mikael Petrossian, this evolution is something to embrace rather than resist. As part of the family generation entrusted with preserving the brand's legacy, he understands that heritage need not come at the expense of progression. After all, there's little point in protecting a luxury product so fiercely that a new generation never discovers the pleasure of enjoying it.
As Petrossian celebrates the tenth anniversary of its London boutique, Vingt Sept Magazine caught up with Mikael to discuss the extraordinary journey of his grandfather and great-uncle, the changing culture of caviar consumption and the responsibilities that come with carrying a family name recognised around the world. From his preference for Ossetra and Beluga to his surprisingly enthusiastic endorsement of caviar with chicken nuggets, he offers a perspective on luxury that is as much about enjoyment and sharing as it is about tradition.
The Petrossian name has become synonymous with caviar, but behind the name is a family story that began with two Armenian brothers in Paris. What part of that story do you think people still misunderstand?
It's really a story of two quite young guys, my grandfather Mouchek and his brother Melkon. They arrived in Paris. My grandfather was an architect, and his brother was a lawyer. In France at the time, it was not possible for them to practise their professions because it was difficult for immigrants, so they decided to become merchants.
They had this idea to import caviar from Russia because they knew Russian caviar. They were the first in France to import Russian caviar because, at the time, you had sturgeon roe or other fish roe, but not caviar prepared the way the Russians used to prepare it.
This was quite exceptional because, at the beginning, people didn't like it. It took years and years to make people appreciate the taste because it was very salty and briny, much more than it is today. It was very different from the other fish roe you had in France at the time, so the beginning was quite challenging, particularly getting people to like it.
If you could sit down with your grandparents today and tell them what Petrossian has become, what do you think would surprise them most?
I'm sure they would be proud of the work that has been done by my father over the past 40 years, and by my brother and me over the past ten years.
I'm sure they would also be surprised by how much the group has grown because, when they started, it was just a small boutique in Paris. Now we're an international group. We're in the US, Asia, the UK and Switzerland, and we have more than 200 employees. So I'm sure they would be very proud.
I've been looking into the history of caviar before your family brought it to Paris. I know it was a delicacy in Russia, but there's also a history of caviar in Persia. How did your family first come across it?
Caviar was harvested from the Caspian Sea, which borders several countries, including Russia and Iran. So, of course, they had caviar in Persia.
Russian caviar was well known among the White Russians when they fled the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. My grandfather and his brother travelled to Paris and brought the idea of caviar with them. I think Persian caviar remained in Iran for many years, and it was only much later that we started selling caviar from Iran as well, when wild caviar was still available.
But Russian caviar is really our foundation. We started with Russian caviar because my grandfather and his brother were born in Armenia and raised in Russia. They came from a multilingual family, speaking French, Armenian and Russian, and grew up in a society where they knew how to eat caviar and were familiar with the product.
When they arrived in France, they had no money, nothing, no network. But they had this idea of reconnecting with something that had been grandiose in Russia. They knew the product because they had grown up with it.
Caviar has traditionally been associated with celebration, status and excess. Do you think our relationship with it has changed, and what does luxury caviar mean to a new generation?
It's really a key point for us because when you want to celebrate something, you always think about champagne, and caviar is one of the best things to pair with it.
But I think people have changed their minds a little, and they're celebrating more things now, even small wins. You don't have to organise a whole dinner or anything like that. You can celebrate with a small tin of caviar, good friends and family.
I think it's just the way we celebrate that has changed. Before, it was more about occasions like Christmas, but now, every day can be a celebration.
What do you think of the scene from Dynasty where rivals Dominque Devereux (Diahann Caroll) and Alexis Carrington (Dame Joan Collins) verbally spar with a mention of Petrossian?
It's one of the most famous scenes. We've been mentioned in other films and television shows, but every year I have friends sending me this particular clip.
It's amazing because of the tone, the scene, the outfits and the hairstyles. It's so 80s and so iconic! And they're talking about Beluga, which is the most prestigious caviar we have. So it's really iconic.
There's something fascinating about the idea of tasting caviar properly and understanding the flavour profile of each selection. I recently gave my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels a little caviar, and they went absolutely wild for it! What do you wish people knew before deciding they didn't like it?
First, they have to taste good caviar. Usually, when people tell me, "I don't like caviar," I'm always very interested because, when you dig a little deeper, it's often because they've had caviar in a restaurant and they're not even sure if it was really caviar.
You can have very bad caviar and a very bad memory of it. But good caviar is rich, fine and not too fishy. So, if you like oysters, for example, you should like caviar.
Even children like it. For example, when my son was one year old, I made him taste caviar, and he liked it. Usually, when people don't like caviar, it's because they've had a bad one.
It's very concentrated in flavour. It's strong, but not too strong. Cats, dogs, children- they're all crazy about caviar! Usually, when a child comes into one of our boutiques, we offer them a taste, and when the parents are happy with that, it's usually a hit.
Which is your favourite, why, and what do you feel is the most perfect pairing with caviar?
It depends on the occasion and the people I'm going to share it with. I like Ossetra because it's our bestseller, and its flavour is really close to that of oysters. I like it because the taste is quite long-lasting, and you can pair it with many different things.
It goes well with fish, meat, minced meat or raw meat, for example. You can even pair it with desserts, like chocolate or vanilla ice cream. So Ossetra is always a good choice.
But for very fine dining, I like Beluga. It's very fine, very delicate and buttery, so I like it very much. But basically, I like all of them!
What is the most valuable piece of advice about caviar that has been passed down through your family, and is there a family rule about how it should always be served?
We always say, "A big tin and a small spoon." That's our way of eating caviar!
What do you think about the more unconventional caviar pairings we're seeing today, particularly with foods like chicken nuggets? Are you happy to see caviar being enjoyed this way?
Yes, it's very good! When chicken nuggets are made properly, with good-quality chicken and fried well, they're crispy and crunchy, and they pair very well with caviar.
Caviar works well with rich foods because you need some fat to enhance the flavours. That's why it's often served with butter or cream.
I think it's fun, and I like that. I don't like the idea that because something is luxurious, you have to serve it on silver plates or follow certain rules. It's luxurious, but you can enjoy it however you want.
I like the idea of enjoying caviar in the most basic way, at the best moments.
What is the biggest misconception about working in a family business? Is there ever a moment when you wish you could leave the Petrossian name at the door?
I used to work with my father, and my mother is still in the business. My father is also involved, but more at the board level, so he's no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the company.
I now work very closely with my brother, so we share everything every day, and you have to be very respectful. This is a family business, and we're a 100-year-old company, so we take our time.
If we need to discuss an idea for another week, we'll take that time. When a decision is made, we want everybody to be on board and agree with it. So we have to share everything and discuss things together.
I actually started my career outside the family business. I worked as a consultant in mergers and acquisitions for more than ten years, and afterwards, I launched a small chain of dumpling restaurants called HOOM.
Caviar is having a cultural moment again, appearing everywhere from fine dining menus to more relaxed settings. Do you see this as a democratisation of caviar, or does it risk losing some of the mystery that made it so special?
No, it's what I was saying earlier. I think there's a kind of democratisation, not of caviar itself, but of the way people enjoy it.
People like to celebrate things differently now, and we're really happy with that. I think when you're too narrow-minded, it's not good for your business, and it's not good for attracting new and younger customers.
We want caviar to be fun, and if you want to pair it with chicken nuggets, that's absolutely fine. Everything is okay!
Images courtesy of Petrossian
Words and Editor: Jheanelle Feanny
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