Ana Kaulashvili, a 22-year-old psychologist, poses on a Vespa scooter in Tbilisi on December 1, 2024. – AFP

Navigating through a throng of pro-European protesters, Ana Kaulashvili seamlessly transitioned from the recent demonstrations in Georgia's capital to the world of cooking. Within a day, the 22-year-old swapped her protest gear for knives and an apron, moving from fiery rallies to the kitchen set of the cooking show MasterChef.

"This has been my dream for five years," she told AFP, standing in a Tbilisi plaza draped in her country's red-and-white flag. Kaulashvili has already sailed through several qualifying rounds of the reality TV show and won the second episode of the current season. Typically, she would be dedicating all her time to perfecting her recipes for the competition.

Ana Kaulashvili, the 22-year-old psychologist, prepares the traditional Georgian dish Khinkali in Tbilisi on December 1, 2024. – AFP

However, the government's recent decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union disrupted her plans, forcing Kaulashvili to reconsider her priorities. "My future hinges on what Georgia decides now," she said, noting that her country stands at a critical juncture—with the promise of European membership to the west and Russia's expanding influence to the north. Tbilisi has been engulfed in days of unrest, with opposition critics accusing the ruling Georgian Dream party of steering the former Soviet republic away from the EU and closer to Russia, a claim the party denies.

"We don't have the luxury of enjoying our passions or having fun right now," said the young cook-turned-activist. "We are in revolution mode." As a psychologist by training, Kaulashvili has been spending more time protesting than at home. Her protest essentials—a Georgian and an EU flag, and a gas mask—hang by the door of her apartment. Kaulashvili has become a recognizable figure in opposition circles. A photo of her standing on a barricade, waving the Georgian flag in front of police, has gone viral on social media. Her boyfriend, Dato Abzianidze, 29, discovered the image online and shared it while Kaulashvili was still asleep. "I approached her to kiss her because I was proud," said the digital marketer.

In her spare time, Kaulashvili focuses on cooking. MasterChef has halted its broadcasts due to the protests, which began last Thursday after the government announced it would pause EU accession talks. However, filming continues. On that day, in her kitchen, Kaulashvili tackled a significant challenge: practicing her khinkali-folding skills—juicy, meat-filled dumplings. "It's our national dish and my favorite food," she smiled while chopping onions. She has previously shared her culinary secrets on TikTok, where her videos have amassed over 40,000 followers. But her account's focus has shifted from cuisine to politics, with ice cream recipes now posted alongside protest calls.

"I realized I have an audience that listens to me, so I can speak out, and people will understand, and my voice will spread," she said. Among her listeners is her mother, who has transitioned from supporting Georgian Dream to joining the protests alongside her daughter. The evening she joined the protests, Kaulashvili had planned to stay home and rest. But her night took an unexpected turn, and she found herself in an ironic situation: among a crowd of a hundred people protesting outside the headquarters of Georgia's public broadcaster, which airs MasterChef. The pro-European opposition accuses the national organization of being biased towards the government and under its control.

Defiant, she realized the situation was absurd—and knew she was taking a risk. But her cause comes first, she said. "It doesn't matter to me. They can tell me to leave the show." "My primary duty is to stand here, and everything else comes after that."

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