Janna Gur
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Janna Gur (in
Hebrew:
ז'אנה גור) is an
Israeli food writer,
editor and
cook book author and an expert on
Israeli and
Jewish cuisine.
Biography
The only child of
mathematician and a
medical doctor, Gur was born in the
Latvian capital
Riga in the then
Soviet Union and immigrated to
Israel in 1974. Upon reaching army age she joined the
IDF's
academic corps and studied
English literature at the
Hebrew University.
[1] She did her military service as an
Officer in the
Israeli Navy, where she taught technical English to future naval officers. Gur went on to
MA studies in literary translation at
Tel Aviv University while working as an
El Al flight attendant to help finance her studies. The work with EL Al gave her the opportunity to travel and world sparked early interest in
gastronomy.
[2]
She translated into Hebrew, from
Russian,
Mikhail Bulgakov's
satire Heart of a Dog and from
English,
Yael Dayan's
biography of
Moshe Dayan My Father, His Daughter.
[1] She thought that she had found her vocation as a literary
translator but then she met her husband, Ilan Gur, a journalist and an
independent publisher, who introduced her to the world of magazine publishing.
[1] In 1991, one month before the
Gulf War, the couple launched Al Hashulchan, with Janna Gur as the
chief editor.
The last decade of the 20th century was the formative one for the local food revolution and the interest in gastronomy was immense.
[2] Al Hashulchan, originally conceived as a
trade journal for
chefs and
restaurateurs, developed a following among local
foodies and in time evolved into a popular general interest food and
wine magazine. Today it is considered the premier
culinary Hebrew speaking magazine and is widely ready by amateurs and professionals alike.
[1][2]
In 2001, Al Hashulchan Media Group was established - as a specialized
cook book publishing house. Janna Gur, as the chief editor, was
involved in editing of over 40 Hebrew cookbooks, among them Sheshet -
"The Kitchen Helper" series, which offered innovative approach to
understanding
recipes
and cooking techniques. Nira Russo, a famous Israeli food writer, wrote
about the first book in the series: "if you have a budget for just one
cookbook, a definitive one, this is the book you should get."
[3] In 2002, Gur hosted a regular food segment on
Channel 1 "Good Morning Israel" show. She continues to frequently appear on
TV and
radio, talking about food and wine and local culinary culture.
[4]
The Book of New Israeli Food
Published by Al Hashulchan in 2007 was Janna's first as an author. It was translated into
German and published in late 2007 by Umschau Verlag. In 2008
Schocken Books division of
Random House released an American edition.
The Book of New Israeli Food was shortlisted for the "
Jewish Book Council Awards" in 2009,
[5] and chosen as one of the 25 best cookbooks for 2009 by "
Food & Wine Magazine".
[6]"The Book of New Israeli Food is splendid", wrote
Claudia Roden, "...engagingly written, with delicious recipes and stunning photographs."
[7] At once a
coffee-table book to browse and a complete cookbook, the book feature over 200
recipes, an historic introduction and background stories on various aspects of local gastronomy, such as
olive oil,
wine, local
markets,
grill
etc. The book is fully illustrated with on location photographs by
Eilon Paz. Contributors: Rami Han (research and recipe translation),
Orly Pely Bronshtein and Ruth Oliver (food editing and recipes,
Adam Montefiore (chapters on wine and olive oil).
Since the book was published, Janna has been touring and lecturing extensively about Israeli and Jewish Food, mainly in
North America,
[8][9] and is involved in various media projects promoting Israeli gastronomy.
[10] She wrote (along with
Joan Nathan) the first ever course on Israeli Cuisine for
The New York Times Knowledge Network.
[1][11] The idea for this course was initiated by the Israeli Consulate in New York, and was the first culinary course presented for
The New York Times Knowledge Network.
[12]
At the time of the course's release, Israel had launched a widely
publicized campaign to boost its declining public image, and it is
likely this promotion of New Israeli Cuisine was a part of that
campaign.
[13]
Gur's recipes have also been promoted by various Israeli agencies in
the United States. For example, the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles has
released more than one of her recipes on their website.
[14][15]
This example is more recent, as both recipes were published online by
the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles in 2012, and it may be argued that
this is still a part of Israel's ongoing campaign to rebrand itself. Her
recipes have also garnered much attention in mainstream media outlets.
For example, in 2009
New York (magazine) published Gur's
shakshouka recipe as a use for in season plum tomatoes.
[16]
With all of this attention, Gur has undoubtedly become of the names
most commonly attached to New Israeli Cuisine, particularly in the
United States. She is currently involved in the Treasure Box project
aimed at preserving Jewish ethnic cuisines for future generations.
[1]
References
Ilan Evyatar (March 21, 2010), "Preserving more than pickles", The Jerusalem Post
Katherine Martinelli (May 5, 2011), "She turned Israel from wasteland to taste land", Jewish Chronicle Online
Nira Russo (April 13, 2004), "The DNA of Food", Haaretz (Hebrew)
Helen Hatzis (November 24, 2009), "A Taste of Israel: Janna Gur", Shalom Life (Jewish Canadian lifestyle's website)
2008 Nat'l Jewish Book Awards Announced, Jewish Book Council website
(October 14, 2009) "New Food & Wine Collection Picks Best Cookbooks of the Year", foodchannel.com
praise for "The Book of New Israeli Food", Random House website
Janna Gur talks about Israeli food on YouTube at Google Headquarters
Linda Pellacio (May 2011), in a Radio intreview with Janna Gur, at Heritage Foods Radio, Brooklyn
Janna Gur leads American food writers mission to Israel, from a story broadcast in Channel 2 (Israel)
Sarit Sardes Terotino (February 17, 2010), "The New York Times presents: Course about Israeli Cuisine, Ynet (Hebrew)
Sarit Sardes Terotino (February 19, 2010), "The New York Times presents: Course about Israeli Cuisine, Ynet
Sarit Sardes Terotino (February 17, 2010), "Positive Views of Israel, Brought to You by Israelis, The New York Times
http://www.israeliconsulatela.org/index.php/en/latest-news/item/recipe-for-the-weekend-tomato-soup-with-rice
http://www.israeliconsulatela.org/index.php/en/culture/item/recipe-for-the-weekend-israeli-schnitzel
External links
Articles about Janna Gur
- Naomi Kooler (April 8, 2009), "Author has seen many changes in Israeli food", The Boston Globe
- Joe Crea (September 23, 2008), "Author Janna Gur sets rich table for Jewish holidays with 'The Book of New Israeli Food'", Cleveland.com
- Linda Morel (September 10, 2009), "New Year meals in Israel reflect international sensibilities", Jewish Weekly
- Matthue Roth (October 16, 2008), "A Taste of Israel", The Forward
- (October 4, 2010), "Israel Food and Culture: Israel on a plate", The Financial Express
- The Book of New Israeli Food Reviews, Janna Gur's Website
- Janna Gur blog, at Jewcy
- Janna Gur's Website
