Defining the Cuisine at Moran Slow Dining

Chef Nitay Yahalom leads the kitchen at Moran Slow Dining on Kibbutz Moran in the Galilee, where his cuisine is rooted in local, seasonal ingredients. In this interview, he shares his culinary journey, cooking philosophy, and how global techniques shape a distinctly Galilean dining experience.

Tell us about your background and how you got into the culinary field.

I began my professional path in Australia, where I lived for two years, working in pizza and hamburger restaurants. Then I continued to New Zealand. When I returned to Israel, to Tel Aviv, I decided I wanted to work at an authentic restaurant, not just a bar or pub, and I started working at North Abraxas by Chef Eyal Shani.

What was it like working with Eyal Shani?

What’s great about his restaurants is that he has really managed to instill his DNA and his spirit. When you arrive as someone new, you feel it in the way people talk about food. That’s where I really started to be introduced to raw materials, and that ignited the spark in me.

Tell us more about your culinary journey.

From North Abraxas, I followed Chef Nofar Zohar to Ca Phe Hanoi, a kosher Vietnamese restaurant. I was with her for the opening and became the restaurant’s sous chef. The owners were French, and they sent me to Paris for a cooking course and to see their restaurants. Working there gave me an appetite to learn more. I felt like I wanted to be a chef, but I didn’t have enough knowledge.

So, I joined Abie when it opened to learn new things and started working part-time at Eyal Shani’s HaSalon. Eventually, I was full-time at HaSalon, and it really opened my mind. Most of the chefs have been with the company for 15-20 years; they are really a mine of information. You can just watch and learn, without even doing anything. There was a lot of creative freedom.

There is some structure to the menu, but everyone does what they want and puts out dishes however they want. You improvise every night if you’re going to; you don’t owe anyone anything. You can do your own thing, which is very cool. It really opened my mind.

What brought you to the Galilee?

My wife and I both grew up here, and we were in high school together. During the Corona period, when we were in and out of lockdown, my wife was heavily pregnant. We decided to leave Tel Aviv and move back home to the Galilee.

How did you become the Chef of Moran Slow Dining?

I was working as a private chef, and I got a call about a new project. What attracted me was not just the business aspect, but the ideology behind it. The founders weren’t about making money, but had a strong vision and concept, and I wanted to be a part of it.

What is your approach to food at the restaurant?

What is important to us is real food. What is real? Not mass produced, local, seasonal, and sustainable. We make as much as possible from scratch, and other ingredients come from local supplies: bread, cheese, fish, and olive oil. We work with these suppliers to produce some products specifically for us. This also helps to keep the economy here in the region.

How does that influence your cooking?

It influences me a lot. I love working with vegetables, knowing how to take a specific raw material and give it a platform, putting it in the center. Only add things that will enhance it, but not overpower it. If you add too many ingredients, you don’t taste the main ingredient.

What’s unique about your culinary approach?

I try to ensure every dish has a “statement”. For example, in summer, we use different types of cucumbers. I localize dishes, like taking a salad that initially comes from Arab villages and elevating it using local Galilee ingredients.

How would you describe the cuisine of the restaurant?

I don’t like to be confined to a single style. I use techniques I’ve learned and combine them with local flavors. For instance, I might make a very French-style dish or incorporate Japanese techniques with local ingredients.

What’s your philosophy about menu design?

Our menu is designed to provide a complete nutritional experience. We balance different elements – vegetables (raw and cooked), carbohydrates (like pasta), and protein (like fish). The goal is to provide a meal that feels satisfying but not overly heavy.

How has the restaurant changed since you opened?

We started without a clear identity. Initially, the food was good, but we didn’t have a strong story. Gradually, we developed our concept, got customer feedback, and gained more confidence in our approach. We’re continuously learning, improving, and refining our approach.

Where do you like to eat in the area?

I really love the Flora Flourishing Cheese on Kibbutz Lotem. It is a boutique dairy producing sheep’s milk cheeses, with a pleasant atmosphere and wonderful people. It’s worth sitting there with a bottle of wine and listening to Azi, the cheesemaker, talk about each cheese as if it were one of his children.

On Kibbutz Pelech, at Pelech Winery, Itai Bai, the winemaker, has become a close friend and is a dedicated and talented professional. I highly recommend sitting in the winery facing the view for a wine tasting.

After service, I like to go over the road to the Galil Brewery that friends of mine run from the kibbutz. I love ending the evening with a good IPA and a tasty burger. The owners also have a great falafel and sabich stand in Karmiel, giving these two beloved Israeli classics a fresh twist. It’s always cheerful and delicious there.

Conclusion

Chef Nitay Yahalom’s journey comes full circle at Moran Slow Dining, where global experience meets deep local roots. His cooking is thoughtful, ingredient-driven, and firmly anchored in the Galilee, celebrating seasonality, regional producers, and quiet creativity. Rather than following trends, Nitay is shaping a cuisine that feels authentic to place, people, and time.

Read more Chef’s Secrets interviews and posts about Israeli Chefs.

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