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What led you to start your careers as chefs?
Loren: I never planned on becoming a chef – I followed my girlfriend from Israel to Italy and needed to find a good reason to stay. I had some previous experience in antique restoration and considered pursuing that, but I wasn’t thrilled by the idea of going to school. I accidentally applied to culinary school in Turin in 2007, where I learned French and Italian cooking. A classmate’s uncle was looking for help at his restaurant, so I started out there and worked my way up. Eventually, I became more interested in menu creation, and worked in a Michelin star restaurant in Spain prior to spending the last seven years in NYC.
Daniel: I was in the Israeli army and was experiencing depression – cooking was a way to heal and channel my energy and emotions into something exciting.
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Do you have a favorite outdoor dining pop-up event that you've hosted in the past?
Loren: We hosted a sidewalk popup on Orchard with Laila Gohar in 2021, which was amazing. Our speciality is improvised, site-specific cooking, using the space to inspire the vibe and experience, and we really got to play with that idea for this specific event.
Daniel: The summer garden dinner we hosted at Pioneer Works in Red Hook.
What’s your favorite part about the New York creative community?
Loren: NYC is a place where people come with extra ambition to create, which is very uniting. You can be the best at what you do in the middle of nowhere, but without an audience, you’re not recognized for your craft. New York opens your creative endeavors to people you wouldn’t be able to reach in other parts of the country.
Daniel: I love the versatility of it all – there is a wide variety of humans that bring new approaches and perspectives to their respective mediums. NY has creativity at every level, whether it’s high end or underground, and you can find creativity almost anywhere.
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What’s your favorite place in NYC?
Loren: Prospect Park – I spend a lot of time with my kids there and it’s an integral part of my life.
Daniel: During the warmer months, I love to explore outside of NYC – Harriman State Park is a recent favorite.
What’s inspiring you right now?
Loren: I’m always inspired by the present and tangible things in my life – the spring, the weather, the people around me, to name a few. When I’m cooking, I’m inspired by who I cook for. Cooking is a great vehicle for getting to know people, their likes and dislikes, and who they are at their core, and it’s what I love about my job.
Daniel: My inner emotions inspire and inform a lot of what I do. My feelings and internal conflicts are channeled into my cooking in an almost healing way.
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@lev.nyc & @shooshoonolita on Instagram