"Taberne in Guria"

“Taberne in Guria”

The Chkhaidze family, currently led by Keso Makharadze, is where "Taberna Guria" is located today. Keso's emotional attachment to this family began in 1994 when she and Nugzar Chkhaidze got married during the challenging '90s. Nugzar had entirely different plans, but the young couple returned to the Chkhaidze family's ancestral home in vilage Atsana. Following the death of Nugzar's grandparents, the Chkhaidze ancestral home was abandoned for 30 years. This three-decade period of "absence" led to the loss and damage of many unique items from the family. The Chkhaidzes were known for their intellectual potential, critical thinking, innovation, and consistent opposition to the stereotypes typical of their era. Such were Besarion and Joji Chkhaidze - the grandparents. In the over 150-year-old Gurian "Kukhna-house," which still stands, the great-grandfather Ivane built it, living there with his wife Marta and their eight children. Besarion was the standout among these eight children. He completed his education in Kutaisi, was fluent in Russian and French, and was an entrepreneur, owning trading posts along the railway line from Imereti to Adjara. He was a veteran of five wars - WWI, the Brusilov Offensive on the Austrian front, the battles for Georgia's independence (1918-1921), the fight for Batumi (1921), and the 1924 uprising. From 1937 to 1954, Besarion Chkhaidze was exiled to Siberia by the Soviet authorities. His story, as a distinguished Gurian, is preserved in the National Library of the Parliament of Georgia. During the exile years, the family was kept together by Joji, the grandmother, who also preserved the legacy. After her husband Nugzar's death, Keso's inspiration and motivation to implement the "Taberna Guria" business idea came precisely from Besarion's and Joji's lives. Keso packaged the Chkhaidze family history, remaining unique items, and ancient Gurian recipes into an intriguing and comprehensive tourist product and began welcoming guests. She was assisted in this venture by her two daughters. Despite challenges, she did not give up. Sometimes, during pessimistic times, she was steering at the old crutch of grandma Joji, filling up her with strength and resilience, a symbol of strength and power that remains by the old house's door to this day. As the sole survivor of the third generation in the family, Keso Makharadze now leads the family in managing "Taberna Guria." This establishment offers guests a 200-year-old family hosting experience: preparing/traditional Gurian dishes in the "Kukhna-house" over a fire, viewing all preserved items and documentary materials, listening to history, sharing the tradition of Gurian hospitality, and spending nights by the hearth. A special dish at "Taberna Guria" is "brinjula," so ancient that practically no one prepares it today. Keso Makharadze's exceptional warmth, genuine love for guests, and her profound sense of responsibility towards the Chkhaidze family ensure that visitors leave with a uniquely memorable experience and cherished emotions.