An incredible opportunity has arisen to travel to Israel with acclaimed Chef Michael Solomonov for an unforgettable culinary tour!
Sunday, October 6, a group of travelers led by Chef Solomonov, of acclaimed modern Israeli restaurant Zahav, will depart for Israel for a 10-day culinary and cultural tour. Chef Solomonov was born near Tel Aviv, spent much of his childhood in Pittsburgh, then returned to Israel with his family. His first industry job, at a bakery near Tel Aviv, led him to attend culinary school in Florida, and then to Philadelphia to work in some of the city’s top restaurants. During that time his brother David, an Israeli soldier, was killed in the line of duty on the Yom Kippur holiday in an apple orchard near the Lebanese border. After this life-changing experience, Chef Solomonov decided to return to his roots and devote himself to Israeli cooking and open Zahav, which has earned him unparalleled praise from critics and fans alike.
“This is a deeply personal journey for me: a return to my homeland that coincides with the 10th anniversary of my brother’s death,” says Chef Solomonov, who owns the restaurant along with his business partner Steven Cook. “I can’t wait to share my story—and David’s—with our guests on this trip, as we visit hole-in-the-wall eateries that I always seek out and enjoy a special chef-prepared dinner in my brother’s honor on the final night of our visit.”
The itinerary includes tours of Jerusalem’s Old City and New City, the Machane Yehuda Market, Flam Winery, Golan Heights Winery and a working date farm at Kibbutz Kinneret, among others; hikes of Nahal David, the Galilee and Masada; meals in an Iraqi shouk, a Bedouin tent at Kfar Hanokdim, Tel Aviv’s Yemenite Quarter and an apple orchard in honor of David Solomonov; and much, much more. All parts of the journey will be guided by Chef Solomonov, who will take travelers to places most visitors never see: “my Israel,” as he fondly calls it.
“This trip is a food lover’s dream, with meals that range from multi-course gourmet feasts to street food eaten with our hands as we stroll through a market,” says Chef Solomonov. “We’ll be traveling with a group of talented North American chefs, all of whom will contribute to the memorial meal for my brother, and every member of our group should rest assured that they will eat well and experience a true ‘taste of Israel’ while traveling with me.”
Limited space is available for fans and friends of Zahav to join the trip (cost is $6,750 per person, based on double occupancy). For more information about this extraordinary journey or to reserve your place, contact Donna Palmieri by email or phone (215-568-6655 x260) or Mia Lehmann by email or phone (215-568-6655 x257).
About Zahav and Chef Solomonov
Zahav (located at 237 St. James Place in Philadelphia) offers authentic Israeli cuisine with a modern edge. The restaurant’s warm, welcoming feel was inspired by Jerusalem’s terraced Old City. Recently, Philadelphia magazine printed an illuminating feature on Chef Solomonov, highlighting his past accomplishments and future plans, including his outstanding and inspirational work at Zahav, and Wall Street Journal featured his “Fresh, Flavorful Israeli Salads.” In 2012, Food & Wine magazine named Chef Solomonov among the country’s top “Empire Builders,” admiring his devotion “to reinventing overlooked cuisines.” That same year, Zahav was elevated to a coveted “Four Bells: Superior” rating from the Philadelphia Inquirer, one of only five restaurants citywide to earn that elite designation. Chef Solomonov was also the subject of a New York Times feature in 2011 that explored the genesis and continued success of Zahav, which praised his “simple food with layers of flavor.” For his work at Zahav, Chef Solomonov won the prestigious James Beard Award for “Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic” in 2011.
Zahav is open for dinner seven days a week. For more information or to make a reservation, call (215) 625-8800, visit the restaurant’s website and follow the restaurant on Twitter and Facebook.
