It might seem absurd that an American filmmaker — who until five years ago thought falafel and hummus were the only ingredients of Israeli cuisine — would introduce the world to the dynamic Israeli food and culture scene. But in his upcoming film, documentarian Roger Sherman aims to whet the world’s appetite for Israel’s diverse and innovative dishes.
“The reason I’m doing the film is because I found a food culture that no one in the world knows about. This is the best-kept secret,” Sherman says during a quick interview in the lobby of a Tel Aviv hotel before setting out to get final shots for “The Search for Israeli Cuisine.”
Sherman discovered Israeli food five years ago when he made an introductory visit to the country at the behest of a foodie tour-guide friend.
“I was knocked out by what I saw, what I ate and how gorgeous the country is,” says Sherman, whose wife is the founder of gourmet food and wine magazine Saveur.
Sherman believes Israel’s vibrant food scene is unknown to many because most foreigners only associate the Jewish state with “political drama and biblical history.”
This story reprinted with permission from www.israel21c.org.
Reprinted with permission from israel21c. For a full version of the story, go to www.tinyurl.com/israel21c-israelicuisine