On the occasion of International Women’s Day, today and tomorrow (Thursday-Friday) an impressive selection of women whose occupation is food decided to gather at Sarona Market: Sherry Ansky and Ika Cohen (Ika Chocolate), Michal Goldberger (formerly the pastry chef at the Weiss restaurant) and her mother Frances (Ban Mi 13), the bloggers Racheli Krot, Efrat Lichtenstein, Natalie Levin, Rotem Liberzon and other producers, entrepreneurs, cooks, cooks and bakers – all of them will sell chocolates and croissants, liqueurs, chowder, cookbooks and more.
Notable among them is chef Shiral Berger (OPA), who created a special dish in honor of the festival – called “Women Creating Culinary” – a tribute to the legendary carrot sausage from the Miss Kaplan restaurant, which she headed alongside Uri Shavit. “It’s very difficult for me with commercial projects,” she explains. “When they asked me to make the carrot sausage, I told myself there was no way, that this was going back. Seven years ago I was not the same person. That’s why I decided to create something that is in the language and spirit of what I do today – a challah bun from Amitha, which I really like what they do , filled with fennel in five or six techniques. What leads an artist in his life is loyalty to himself. I make a compromise, something unusual and great, and ask myself how I connect to it from the high place I am today. Taking a vegetable, breaking it down into its elements, doing wonderful things with it and serving in bread”.
From right to left: Shiral Berger, Yael Horvitz Farming with the Land and Rita Goldstein (Photo by Sigal Saban)
The pop-up captures Berger at a professional peak. About a month ago, her elite vegan restaurant and that of her sister Sharona won the “One to Watch Award” (restaurants that should be followed) on behalf of the international restaurant guide 50Best. “We’re finally crazy, thank God. We deserve it, don’t we?”, she laughs. “We’ve come a long way from being the black sheep who didn’t understand what we were doing to winning such a prestigious international title. We’ll never be mainstream, but they finally accept us.”
How do you personally experience success?
“Yesterday I finally tasted the menu for the first time from beginning to end, and I said to myself ‘It’s okay Shiral, you can relax’. However, I have the desire to engage in art. I am constantly on the fine line between what is happening around me and the desire to return to my little laboratory And create, because that’s what I want and love.”
In the past you have always emphasized that gender is not relevant for you, and here you are at a female festival.
“My coming of age made me change my mind a little. The questions remain the same questions, but I’m starting to grow up, open my eyes and see myself. Even now it doesn’t matter to me if it’s a man or a woman. What’s important to me is the mindset. As a woman, I feel that I have a desire To be on the connected emotional side, and you feel it in the food. A woman who knows how to cook doesn’t see any man falling, because of the emotion. To be connected to a deep and brash place without masks – that’s where I want to be and live my life. Women who are connected to their higher feminine side and do something together are a powerful force is very”.
The recognition of female power and the desire to connect with it are also reflected in meals with a female agricultural spirit, which will be held this month at OPA. Berger will cook a meal based on fruits and vegetables adapted to each farmer, which will be accompanied by a preliminary discussion with foodie and journalist Rita Goldstein (who also curates the Women Creating Culinary Festival), who will talk with the selected farmers: Ayala Noi Meir (producer of Rish Lakish olive oil), Relli Knapp (farm owner the organic “La Mishmatar”), Yael Horvitz (from “Am Adama” farms and the curator of agriculture) and Yael Ben Ari (from “Melou Hatana”).
Each of them will tell about her path in agriculture, about the produce and the combination of agriculture and the kitchen. “I always wanted to work with small farmers. Farming is a man’s occupation, but not long ago I started traveling around the country and discovered that there are wonderful farmers,” says Berger. “I found amazing, strong, caring women that I can work with, and it’s a blessing. I want it to be known, because we are so disconnected from what we eat.”
And this is again a reference to gender.
“I don’t want it to come out as if I don’t like men. That’s not the story. I don’t refer to gender individually, but look at people as human beings. I’ve known women who I wanted to eat because they’re sweet. These are character traits. I do feel – and especially In the culinary world – a woman quite unique among many men, who cooks from a humble and egoless place. I want to encourage such behavior and not adopt qualities that are less high in my eyes, such as ego and strength. I promote those who are able to join the qualities of love, devotion and nurturing, and it doesn’t matter if they are found in a man or in a woman”.
Women creating cuisine, Sharona Market, Thursday (2.3) 10:00-23:00, Friday (3.3) 09:00-15:00
Meals in the spirit of female agriculture, Halutzim 8, Monday (6/13/20/27.3)