I have visited Israel three times, all within the past five years. Friends and family who visited Israel many more years ago have related stories of the country from days past. I find it fascinating to compare them to my own experiences and see how the country has changed so much in such a short period of time. In particular, one characteristic that keeps coming up in these stories is that of a lackluster Israeli food culture. This characteristic is difficult for me to imagine. I have found a plethora of unique and delicious food offerings during my trips to Israel, particularly during my most recent visit earlier this month. As with many other sectors of this still-young country, Israel’s cuisine has clearly matured immensely over the past 10-15 years – to the great benefit of both its residents and visitors.
In the course of my recent trip, I had the opportunity to eat in some upscale Israeli restaurants and to meet some Israeli chefs. All of them spoke at length about their cooking philosophies and influences. At Carmella Bistro in Tel Aviv, Chef Daniel Zach made a comment which really stood out to me. In describing his own cooking philosophy, Mr. Zach said that he and his colleagues were still trying to figure out what exactly constitutes “an Israeli kitchen.†Indeed, it is difficult to pin down the defining characteristics of Israeli food. Such a melting pot of cultures naturally leads to a melting pot of cuisines. When I considered this question, based on my personal encounters with Israeli food, I came up with two aspects that seem to be integral – although not definitive – parts of the “Israeli kitchen.â€
First, Israeli cuisine is, without a doubt, characterized by fresh ingredients. When a chef can go to a market every morning and buy products that are rarely more than an hour or two from their point of origin, you are guaranteed to taste the freshness on your plate. I also found that it is common for chefs to grow their own herbs. At Cochinella Restaurant, located in the Bezet moshav in the West Galilee, you see the chef’s herb garden in front of the restaurant as you enter. Chef Moshe Basson, of Little Eucalyptus in Jerusalem, presented a basket of his fresh herbs as we ate his food. One cannot deny the distinct difference in how food tastes when the meat, produce and seasonings are fresh. Mr. Zach said it best – when asked about his favorite seasonings, he replied that he mainly sticks to salt and pepper, thus allowing the ingredients to speak for themselves.
Second, Israeli chefs seem to be greatly influenced by the “old country.†All the chefs spoke of their mothers’ and grandmothers’ cooking as an important factor in their own cooking. Whether from Tunisia or Germany or Iraq, these chefs grew up with the cuisine of their ancestors’ countries, and it translates into the food they cook today. This type of influence is certainly not unique to Israel. In any country with immigrant populations, one can find many restaurants that incorporate flavors of the chef’s home country. I find it to be slightly more pronounced in Israel than in a country such as the U.S., perhaps because Israeli cuisine is still developing flavors and dishes that can be called uniquely “Israeli.â€
Of course, one must mention the regional influences on Israeli cuisine. Falafel, pita, hummus – while not originally Israeli, these foods and their ilk are more delicious and flavorful in Israel than just about anywhere in the Western world. For all the fancy meals I ate during my week-long trip, nothing beat standing on a street in Haifa eating a pita filled with fresh falafel, vegetables, hummus and tahini. Israel is thankfully moving past its days of culinary mediocrity, and my taste buds and I look forward to the bright future of the Israeli kitchen.
