“National Association of Khinkali” is a non-commercial legal entity founded on 5 March 2018 and its founders are natural persons engaged in various fields, united by common objectives and tasks implying recognition of Khinkali as the Georgian cultural identity, taking care of its preservation and development.
After founding numerous tens of new members and like-minded persons joined “National Association of Khinkali” and despite a short period of existence, very important steps have been made for implementation of the planned objectives and tasks, in particular, in partnership with the Georgian National Museum and Ethnographic Museum, for the first time was conducted ethnographic and scientific investigation of Khinkali in Georgian. Results of study are extremely interesting and they will be available for public through implementation of various activities of the Association; were arranged expeditions to Kazbegi, Khevsureti; for study of technology of cooking tushuri Khinkali and degustation of this splendid variety of Khinkali the members of Association visited village Alvani.
Association, for implementation of its objectives, has planed numerous activities, and we hope everything will become possible by means of membership of more like-minded persons as in Georgia so on an international scale.
Partners of “National Association of Khinkali” are Georgian National Museum, also the first brand strategic agency in Georgia Branding.ge, which is the author of the visual identity of the Association.
It is notable that one of the first members and contributors of “National Association of Khinkali” is Kenneth Angel, a citizen of the United States of America, who works at one of the largest US financial agencies; Kenneth during many tens of years has been working on the investment projects implemented by the USA in Georgia and is a very big supporter of our country.
Association is managed by the Board of 5 members, who during the activity are guided by the objectives and tasks of the Association.
Association is open for membership of any persons interested in and loving Khinkali.
Association is open for membership of all persons interested in Khinkali and loving them.
Membership application and the articles of association you can see below:
[link]
Association is founded by those persons who are united by love of Khinkali and enthusiasm to promote popularization of the traditions related to Khinkali, spread and develop Khinkali as the most important element of the Georgian cuisine throughout the world. Let us briefly familiarize you with the members of Board of the Association.
Kakha Sharabidze - a founder, chairman of the Association
Kakha Sharabidze is a Managing Partner of BLB, one of the leading law firms in Georgia. Kakha founded BLB together with his team in 1995 which by that time was one of the first law firms in Georgia. Before founding BLB, Kakha had a successful career in public sector. He worked on the position of the Head of the Department of international legal relations and legal investigations of the Ministry of justice of Georgia. Kakha was engaged in lawmaking processes and is the author of the draft of several important legislative acts.
Kakha’s legal practice is not limited only by the Georgian law firm, but in 1996-1997 Kakha worked in England, at the law firm Frere, Cholmeley Bischoff and in 1999 - at the international law firm Steptoe & Johnson.
Since 2003 so far leading international publications, such as Chambers&Partners, Legal 500, IFLR1000, name Kakha as the leading lawyer in Georgia.
Kakha is also engaged in academic activity and since 1997 delivers lectures at the various Georgian universities in varios law directions.
Toka Bolkvadze - a founder of the Association, member of the Board
Toka Bolkvadze is a member of New-York Bar.
Graduate of Columbia University Law School, during the years he worked at such international law firms as Sullivan&Cromwell LLP and SimpsonThacher&Bartlett LLP. Toka’s background includes representation of the leading investment banks and multinational corporations, including GoldmanSachs, MorganStanley, UBS, Philips, Anheuser-BuschInBev, AT&T, MarsCorporation and Halliburton, in largest international transactions.
At present Toka provides legal advice to the management of the Georgian companies operating on the international market and represents their interests in international negotiations.
Shalva Kochladze - a founder, member of the Board
Shalva Kochladze is the author of several successful business projects in Georgia.
He has a significant experience in management of the regional offices of the transnational companies; he worked for such famous brands as Hoffmann-LaRoche and Bomerieux.
In 2004-2010 Shalva was engaged in public service, he was the chief advisor of the Minister of economy on the issues of State privatization and later held position of the Deputy Minister of defence.
Shalva obtained medical education at Tbilisi State University and at present conducts business activity.
Alexi Chikovani - a founder, member of the Board
Alexi Chikovani is one of the pioneer branding specialists in Georgia. To his name is related the agency of strategic branding LIVE, the founder of which he is.
Agency during 10-year period of existence created many interesting and famous brands and helped them in successful positioning on the market.
Alexi has more than 15-year experience in branding, marketing and sales, more than 10 years of experience in the direction of lectures, trainings and master classes on branding.
Alexi is a master of corporate strategy and branding of Lancaster University Business School.
Vakhtang Kobiashvili - a founder, member of the Board
Vakhtang Kobiashvili at present conducts a developer activity and is the author of several successful projects in Georgia.
Before initiation of business activity in construction sphere Vakhtang was a founding partner of BLB, one of the leading law firms in Georgia.
Vakhtang gained important working experience during engagement in public sector; he worked in the leading positions at the Ministry of justice of Georgia by the time when the national legislative acts of Georgia were created. Vakhtang was a member of the state commission of legal reform and was engaged in the process of preparation of almost all principal legal documents of Georgia, including civil code of Georgia.
Parallel to popularization of Khinkali and their mass cooking in Georgia worsened the quality of the dish and in the most cases it even lost those flavouring and visual properties the traditional Khinkali have.
Exactly because of this came up the idea to create a new platform which would study and popularize history, culture and traditions of Georgia related to Khinkali; would investigate varieties of Khinkali unknown for broad masses, their traditional and classic recipes.
For the above purposes, the Association set as objective to strive to return of the traditional Georgian Khinkali as to family, so to restaurant cookery; assistance of recognition of Khinkali as the part of the Georgian cultural identity and taking care of preservation and development of this culinary heritage that implies ensuring of a platform for the cookery experts for presentation of a rule of modern cooking of traditional Khinkali and new interpretation of the dish.
One of the tasks of the Association is foundation of a festival of Khinkali on the ethnographic and cultural grounds in Georgia that is one of the important means for achievement of the objectives and tasks of the Association.
