Open restaurants return to Jerusalem with dozens of culinary events
Special events for kids include sushi making or a kids-themed tour of the shuk.
By AMY SPIROUpdated: OCTOBER 22, 2017 13:43COOKING CLASS: Chef Assaf Granit of Jerusalem’s famed Machneyuda restaurant.(photo credit: YAHAV YAAKOV)
Bake brioche at 5:15 a.m. Tour the Israel Museum with celebrity chef Assaf Granit. Watch three Jerusalem chefs – a Christian, a Muslim and a Jew – cook together. Or enjoy live music and snacks aboard the Jerusalem light rail.All these are real options in Jerusalem’s Open Restaurants festival, which is returning to the capital next month.For the second year running (and after years of success in Tel Aviv), restaurants across Jerusalem will be opening their doors for special events, dinners and workshops. Chefs, journalists, foodies and experts will give workshops, tours and talks at close to 100 unique events from November 14-18.The opening event is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Cafe Kadosh, the famed Jerusalem bakery and coffee house. Hosted at the YMCA, the event promises “tables covered in the crazy cakes of Keren Kadosh and champagne and tea flowing like waterfalls.”But there are dozens of event options over five days, for all ages, interests and bank accounts. There is just one event that will be conducted in English, which is a tour on November 16 of the Old City.Learn how to make pasta, ice cream sandwiches, empanadas or Moroccan desserts. Tour the Old City or the streets of Mea She’arim. Hear from comedian Kobi Arieli or some of the country’s top food bloggers.Special events for kids include sushi making or a kids-themed tour of the shuk.Some of the talks are free, and the rest of the events range from NIS 50-NIS 300, and there is a wide range of kosher and non-kosher options.“We’re thrilled to host for the second year the culinary festival ‘Open Restaurants’ in the capital,” said Noam Rizi, head of the Restaurant, Cafe and Bar Association of Jerusalem. “It’s no longer a secret that Jerusalem cuisine is conquering Israel. This is an incredible opportunity for anyone who has yet to discover the dozens of restaurants, cafes and bars, among the best in the country, located in alleyways and streets in Jerusalem, to come and taste, smell and experience the wide variety of cultures Jerusalem has to offer.”Tickets are available for purchase at www.open-restaurants.co.il