Ofirs Küche

The kitchen was a magical place for him even as a child. At sixteen, he sold bagels, and later worked as a waiter and cook to finance his studies at film school. This school was located in Sderot, near the Gaza Strip. Graizer learned that Israel's regional cuisine cannot be separated from the Palestinian one. Since 2010, the Israeli filmmaker has been living in Berlin. His cooking classes at Goldhahn und Sampson, a hotspot in Berlin, are always fully booked and are among the culinary events in the capital. There, he enthusiastically introduces participants to the secrets of his kitchen, the cuisine of his mother, aunt, and grandmother. Shakshuka, tahini, baba ganoush, labneh, mufraka, freekeh, and lentil stew—refined dishes that are simple, healthy, and vegetarian, just as he knows them from home. They can be easily recreated with few ingredients, spices, and herbs.