Manhattan and started working for few restaurants where I moved from server to restaurant manager to food and beverage consultant and by doing so my knowledge of food and hospitality grew all the while. From NYC I relocated to Miami, to open a branch of Shiraz Events, an innovative Catering, Design and Production company. Here as the VP and Creative Director, I head our catering team; tailoring beautiful menus for a long list of private and corporate clients. I am blessed to have an amazing outlet where daily I explore the possibilities of food and presentation to its fullest potential. Also, it is a known fact that throughout history many cultures around the world have used herbs, plants and spices to treat different health conditions. Unfortunately, these days in the western culture not enough people realize the capabilities of these natural elements. My goal as “The Spice Detective” is to collect info from different outlets into one easy to read “database”, share all that I have learned and help incorporate those healing spices into every day simple dishes that will not intimidate any level cook and by doing so, provide you with delicious and natural ways to benefit your health. What was your big culinary brake or brake in general? Opening Shiraz Events in Miami with my partner Shai Tertner was the biggest step I took and the feedback has been amazing. Were you ever teased as child or as an adult for your passion for cuisine? I was never teased about my passion for food and my obsession for the healing properties of herbs and spices, I feel more and more people are starting to be open and seek that knowledge and every time I would share that info with friends and family it’s had been well received and appreciated. What’s your favorite meal and meal to prepare? Homemade couscous with a rich Middle Eastern vegetable and chick pea soup that comes with it. What meals are you craving the most right now? 133
set of flavors and dishes that we really don’t get to experience here in the states. I don’t believe in over rated food, it is a matter of taste and you should eat what makes you happy. What’s your idea of happiness? Being somewhere by the ocean with family and a bunch of friends , cooking with them a great meal, pairing it with wine or locally brewed beer, enjoying a great conversation while watching the sunset. I hope that paints a blissful picture in your mind. What do you appreciate most?
My grandmother Rachel passed away few years ago, her food was amazing… it was filled with her loving energy and you could actually taste the love… Is there an ingredient/condiment you prefer? Recommend? In general I love my food well spiced… Cilantro, Garlic, Ginger, Cumin, Turmeric, Sumac, Zaatar. I love how all of them are packed with flavor and anti-oxidants. Is there a dish you hate? Hate is a strong word; there is a fruit that I really dislike, might be the only fruit or vegetable that I don’t eat... Persimmon, the texture and the flavor don’t agree with me at all for some reason. Is there a childhood comfort food you think about? Yes, when I was growing up , every year after the 24 hour fast of Yom Kippur my grandmother used to make a simple yet flavorful chicken soup, with turmeric, onion and lots of cilantro. It was and is favorite way to break a fast. The scent of the soup stays with me till this day. What kind of ethnic food you feel is underrated and overrated? I think Indian food is underrated. I find it to be super flavorful super health and an amazing option for vegans. I wish more American restaurateurs will create modern interpretations of classic Indian cuisines, India is huge country and each region has a unique
When it comes to food, I appreciate the quality of the incidents that goes into a dish, which means freshest, ideally locally grown, ideally organic, and nothing that is processed. How did you go about into becoming the Spice Detective? As I continued to delve further into the world of the culinary herbs and spices, and developing my knowledge, I become very intrigued by the healing and medical properties of herbs and spices… I really wanted to create a pilot for TV. While sharing the idea with good friends of mine who is a television producer, he thought that a blog about it will be a fantastic outlet which will allow my more freedom for my creativity, knowledge and passion. It made a perfect sense and the rest is history. I must thank BES films for their dedication, their feedback, support and believing in my dream. Ricky Rocha Loures who helped me design the actual blog site and Chef Myriam Cordova for the tips and thoughts. What’s one of the best meals you’ve ever had? At one of the events we have catered for a Shiraz client, we took the guests on a culinary journey around the worlds in 8 courses. In collaboration with my catering team and executive chef Myriam Cordova we created a tasting menu that was unique, creative and delicious with a great spectrum of flavors from across the globe. Be sure to catch Yaniv Cohen on his Youtube channel to be updated on everything and anything concerning “The Spice Detective”. September 2014 - BELLO