The Dish: Israeli chef Alon Shaya
Born in Israel and raised in Philadelphia, Alon Shaya loved helping his mother cook but it was a high school home economics teacher who spotted his talent and encouraged him to make cooking a career. After training as a chef and working around the country, he opened his namesake Shaya in New Orleans. The restaurant was an instant hit and won him James Beard Awards for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef in the South. Now, he's opened Saba in New Orleans and this summer opens Safta in Denver. He also has a new cookbook called “Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel.”