One of the best ways to explore a place is through food. I think that food encapsulates so much about a place and the people living in it: the history of generations passing on recipes, the values of a community, the land, plants and animals living in a certain ecosystem, the way food is served, how it’s eaten - all of these factors come together at a certain specific experience which teaches you so much about a place through your taste buds.
My most memorable memory from Italy, was a private dinner cooked for my sister, my brother and me in an ecological farm, with the dinner and wine ingredients all grown on the farm. I can’t imagine my trip to Vietnam without loads of Pho soup, with a fresh green plate on the side, with home-cooked rice wine, all eaten on a small plastic chair in the middle of the city ruckus. In Croatia, I learned the historical influences of the different geopolitical turns on the local palate. In Israel, you cannot fully understand how multi-cultural we are, without trying the different cuisines coming from Europe, Africa and Arab countries.
Google Maps is a huge enabler for me, in my culinary experience when travelling, it has helped me so much get to the local eateries and meet local people. I like to help people get out of the beaten path, through making their place discovery easier. I am hopeful that through sharing photos, reviews, uploading new places - I help people take a risk, and divert from the ‘5 must visit restaurants in Rome’ trap. There’s so much to taste and see outside the ‘safe bet lists’, places that tend to be small shops, maybe known only to locals, where dining and wining can open a window to where you’re visiting.