Excursion S.a.l.t. contemporary israeli fusion cuisine with chef uri buri tour at Haifa

Man does not live on bread alone (Deuteronomy 8; 3) and this statement is the target for today's S.A.L.T. experience.

Israeli cuisine comprises both local dishes and others brought by its immigrants from the Diaspora, leading to an Israeli fusion cuisine which has adapted elements of various styles, mainly but not only, from the Arab and Mediterranean world. What adds to the diversity of food choices are the various climatic areas: Citrus and avocado thrive on the coastal plain. Figs, pomegranates and olives grow in the cooler hill areas. The subtropical climate near the Sea of Galilee is suitable for mangoes, kiwis and bananas, while the climate the Galilee Mountains is suitable for grapes, apples and cherries. In the last decades Israel saw an increasing interest in healthy food with an emphasis on organic products.

Your S.A.L.T. experience has led to sophisticated levels of fine restaurants and rated chefs who opened successful restaurants in New York, London, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin. Inspired by tradition and driven by innovation, a new generation of Israeli winemakers are combining global training with creativity and have developed wines which have been awarded at international competitions. The end result provides suitable means to offer chef class cuisine.

Drive north for appoximately 45 minutes to Acre which is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the region, yet it is Acre's Crusader history that is most revealed here. Head towards the market where you shall meet with one of Israel's known chefs Uri Buri who will point out local ingredients, some to be used during lunch. The market offers a colorful range of stalls displaying fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, sweet oriental pastries as well as shops selling perfume and spices.

Continue for a leisurely elaborated lunch which will include a variety of plates of fish, sea food and vegetarian products pared with exquisite local wine.

Famed Chef Uri "Buri" Jeremias, 75, was born five miles away in Nahariya, a seaside village on northern Israel's Mediterranean coastline just 10KM from the Lebanese border. Jeremias was naturally exposed since his younger age of diving and undersea fishing, bringing home a vast amount of fish and developing a great knowledge of cooking. "I didn't spend too much time in school; I spent most of the time in the sea, it was a real addiction," says Uri Buri. From the age of 16, Jeremias spent many years traveling through Europe, India and the US, and gained inspiration and insight into the vast flavors of the world, and ignited a real passion for cooking. "During my van journeys around the world, I started cooking for myself. The travelers heard that somebody was cooking in a blue Volkswagen and were happy to join the meal". With his return to Israel, Jeremias began cooking for his friends and relatives, developing his own cooking style with basic raw materials and was convinced later to open a restaurant that will become the legendary Uri Buri restaurant. Chef Uri Buri first established its eponymous restaurant, in 1989, in his hometown of Nahariya, before relocating to the Old City of Akko in 1997. Housed within the walls of a 400-year-old Ottoman house, and hailed as one of the best seafood restaurants in the Middle East, Uri Buri restaurant became, quite simply, an institution. The restaurant has inspired loyalty and devotion among locals, and the reputation of Uri Buri has spread far and wide as one of the best fish restaurants in the country. Chef Jeremias' unprecedented seafood knowledge and distinct intel on Galilean cuisine make for a multi-sensory dining experience. In 2012 under the strict supervision of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Jeremias himself, the Chef opened the venerable Efendi Hotel, a 12-room property that was transformed from an Ottoman Palace and which holds the highest level of architectural preservation and restoration out of any private building in Israel. The hotel is the vision of Jeremias, who oversaw the restoration of the two original Ottoman buildings and hand-painted motifs and frescos along the walls and ceilings, including a fresco of an ancient Istanbul, as well as the building's Byzantine foundation and Crusader-era cellar. Buri was recently heavily showcased on the Netflix series Somebody Feel Phil, featuring and created by Phil Rosenthal, who visited Jeremias in his town of Akko for a tour of the Old City market, a delectable meal at his legendary restaurant, and of course a visit to Efendi Hotel, an Ottoman palace restored over 8-years and transformed into a boutique hotel by Jeremias himself. Buri has also cooked in food festivals and for prestigious guests around the world, most recently in Germany, New York City, Miami and Montreal, and has been written about extensively in top publications such as New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Saveur magazine and beyond.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Chef Uri Jeremias Buri, Acre Region, Acre Market Experience, Restaurant URI BURI to taste an elaborated lunch pared with exuquisite local wine

Note

Please note: This tour involves a minimal to moderate amount of standing and walking, including the ability to board a motor coach and a few steps to negotiate at the sites. This tour is suitable for guests with limited mobility but not for those who utilize a wheelchair. Ramp or elevator are not available. Guests are advised to wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Guests must be at least 18 years old to be served alcoholic beverages.