In conversation with Sam Sifton

Acclaimed for “cooking that bursts with freshly ground spices and complex flavors” (New York Times), Michael Solomonov brought Middle Eastern, North African, Mediterranean, and Eastern European influences to bear in his Philadelphia flagship restaurant, Zahav, named an “essential” restaurant by Eater magazine. Together with partner Steven Cook, his other restaurants include Federal Donuts, Abe Fisher, Dizengoff, The Rooster, and Goldie. Solomonov’s honors include 2011 and 2017 James Beard Awards, as well as recognition by Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and Travel + Leisure. Solomonov and Cook’s new cookbook is a zesty blend of history, photos, and recipes gleaned from their Israeli travels to bustling seaside cities, sleepy mountain villages, and everywhere in between.

Sam Sifton is the food editor of The New York Times and the founding editor of NYT Cooking, the Times’s digital cookbook. Formerly the newspaper's national news editor, restaurant critic, and culture editor, he is the author of the cookbooks Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well and the forthcoming See You on Sunday: Recipes for Family and Friends. 

Meelya Gordon Memorial Lecture