APICIUS ALUM SHAUL PALOGE PRESENTS CULTURE BEYOND BORDERS: FOOD FOR PEACE
Food is a social and cultural denominator, an issue that touches each and every human being. This universal theme was the underlying foundation for the Apicius dinner event at Ganzo by Apicius alum Chef Shaul Paloge, whose special menu was used as a platform to explore the world of politics, peace, and conflict in the Middle East. At the center of this unique dinner event is Palazzi alumni Chef Shaul Paloge, an Apicius class of 2008 professional culinary student from Israel, who created a menu in collaboration with his Drusian Muslim colleague Haled Tabet. Drusians are Arabic-speaking and follow a special religious current that derived from Islam in 11th century Egypt. Persecuted throughout time, they have taken up nationality in various Middle Eastern countries as in the case of those in Israel, and live harmoniously with the host culture. Chefs Paloge and Tabet have thus created a Jewish-Arabic menu that reflects the coexistence of the two cultures. Proceeds from the evening were directed to Chefs for Peace, an organization made up of Jewish and Arabic chefs who believe that, in Chef Paloge’s words, “peace can be reached through food, if not between states at least between people.”
This sold-out dinner was not only a great success as an exceptional culinary experience, but also as a unique venue to bring public awareness to the Chefs for Peace organization. The Palazzi association is grateful for the opportunity to be part of this extraordinary event and takes pride in the inclusion of Chef Paloge as an alumni member.