Polish Food Week coming to Israel
Chefs from Poland to cook in restaurants in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa in bid to convince Israelis that their local cuisine is actually tasty
You're likely thinking about boiled chicken soup, gefilte fish, calf's foot jelly or matza balls – dishes which some of us find tasty, but many other Israelis view as synonyms for dull and tasteless food.
The Polish Embassy in Israel has decided to fight this stigma by holding a Polish Food Week for the first time next month: More than 40 culinary and cultural events will take place across the country, allowing the Israeli audience to taste dishes from the original Polish Jewish kitchen, but also from the modern Polish cuisine.
The producers and artistic managers of the festival are Arieh Rosen, director of cultural programs at the Polish Institute, and food journalist Ronit Vered.
The festival, which will be held from November 2 to 11, will take place during Polish President Bronisław Komorowski's visit to Israel.
The planned events include joint meals cooked by leading chefs from Israel and Poland, the reenactment of historical and literary meals, culinary tours, Polish vodka tasting, cooking workshops, and more (for details, visit www.pcw.co.il).
'One of most interesting, splendid cuisines'
Chef Meir Adoni of Tel Aviv's Catit restaurant is already looking forward to his meeting with chef Wojciech Amaro of the Atelier Amaro restaurant in Warsaw. "He is the only Polish chef to have gained a Michelin star and he leads the top of the Polish culinary world."
Chefs Assaf Granit, Uri Navon and Yossi Elad from Jerusalem's Machneyuda restaurant will host chef Artur Moroz of the Bulaj restaurant in Gdańsk on Poland's Baltic coast.
Chef Omer Miller will serve potato and chestnut kugel, chicken soup with matza balls and goose, and other dishes with a modern twist at his Hashulhan restaurant in Tel Aviv.
Polish Ambassador to Israel Jacek Chodorowicz promises that the Polish kitchen has a lot more to offer.
"It's not just gefilte fish, although I am a big fan of this dish," he says. "Poland now has one of the most interesting and splendid cuisines. I am curious to see the response of Israeli diners when Polish chefs present their meals in restaurants in Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv."
