“Tahini. Labneh. Matzoh. Za’atar. If you’ve tasted any of these ingredients in a restaurant—or tried cooking with them at home—it’s safe to say you’ve been exposed to the growing American interest in Israeli cuisine. Yet if the United States is considered an adolescent in the context of world history, then Israel is, comparatively, an infant, having only been recognized as an independent country in 1948.
Photo Credit: Lauren DeFilippo
How does a young nation, establishing itself in a region with centuries of history, develop a robust, delicious and recognizable cuisine? What does it mean when Jerusalem-born chef Yotam Ottolenghi becomes not only a best-selling author, but also a household name? What happens when we can order Israeli shakshuka for breakfast at Marriott and Hilton hotels—or even buy a starter kit for the dish in the freezer aisle of Trader Joe’s? To begin to answer these questions, we sat down with Chef Alon Shaya: the Israel-born, Philadelphia-raised, James Beard Award-winning owner of Saba and Safta (in New Orleans and Denver, respectively).”