What’s on the agenda of the most promising restaurant in the Middle East? How do you turn ‘ugly’ vegetables into an appetizing and nutritious capsule? Is it possible to make food delivery more sustainable? And, how can a cocktail help reduce waste from the coffee industry?
Last year, according to Leket, Israel’s national food bank, the country wasted 2.6 million tons of food and it ranked last among OECD countries in terms of enacting food waste solutions. But, there are people trying to change those statistics.
As last year, we’re gathering experts and speakers for a program that looks at solutions to food waste. Hear from Shirel Berger from Opa restaurant and Asif’s Michal Levit about creative solutions for reducing food waste in professional kitchens and how they can be applied in the home kitchen. Anat Natan, founder and CEO of Anina Culinary Art, will present the company’s dehydrated packages which are transformed into meals with just water and heat. Sociologist Noa Berger will discuss her collaboration with Stanley Bar where she created a cocktail using waste from the. coffee industry. And, Ran Doron, CEO of the startup OPA will present his company’s approach to reducing food waste in the delivery space.
Michal Bitterman, CEO of The Natural Step Israel, which focuses on sustainability in Israel, will kick off the program.
The ticket price includes a vegetable dish by chef Shirel Berger and a coffee cocktail by the bar Stanley and Noa Berger. The tasting menu from Asif’s Deli will be available for purchase during the program as will ‘ugly’ vegetables from Aleh-Aleh and Anina’s unique capsules.
Dr. Michal Bitterman
CEO and founder of The Natural Step Israel
Dr. Bitterman holds a bachelors in law from Hebrew University, a masters in strategic leadership from the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden, and a doctorate from Ben Gurion University, in the study of sustainability applications in conflict management.
Shirel Berger
Chef and owner of Opa restaurant
Shirel started cooking at the age of 12. In 2014, she graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked as a cook in some of New York’s leading restaurants. When she returned to Tel Aviv, she started working exclusively with fruits and vegetables. Recently, her restaurant was named the “One to Watch” in the Middle East and North Africa by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Anat Natan
Co-founder and CEO of Anina Culinary Art
Anat has extensive marketing and management experience in the food industry in global companies and completed the culinary studies program at Daron. She has an MBA with a specialization in marketing and entrepreneurship, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hebrew University. About three years ago, she co-founded Anina, a startup that offers an innovative culinary experience that combines art and unique technology for future and sustainable food consumption.
Noa Berger
PhD student in sociology with a focus on coffee
Noa is a doctoral student in sociology at the EHESS School of Social Sciences in Paris. Her research centers on the coffee market in France and Brazil. She also contributes to publications, teaches, and lectures on the connection between food culture, status, and economy.
Ran Doron
CEO and co-founder of OPA
A lawyer by training, Ran Doron left the field of law in favor of managing business development and the relationship with the restaurants in the Tel Aviv area with Wolt, where he was exposed to the operational and environmental problems caused by the use of disposable utensils. After three years at Wolt, he left to found OPA — a food packaging startup aimed at reducing single-use containers in food deliveries.