Olami

The Olami cookbook from Nirit Saban of the popular deli on Bree Street, Cape Town is all about simple, nourishing, wholesome food. Olami, a word used in Israel, means global, universal and worldly, and Nirit’s recipes open the door to many fusions and intermingling flavours from the Middle East to South America. A book that keeps in mind the local, the recipes with easy-to-source ingredients make it accessible to everyone. ‘There is something magical that happens at Olami every day, whether it be the flavours we combine, the music that streams through the sound of sizzling and steaming and bubbling, the voices of our customers and friends and family, the arrival and departure of our suppliers – the consistent flow of work and production all adds up to a melting pot of powerful elements that nourish the team and the customers in the most inspiring way. The intention behind Olami and my life is to be as connected to nature as nature is to us. We at Olami are incredibly humbled at this opportunity to share the food we love with everyone.’ – Nirit Saban In the book one will find classic recipes with a twist, the focus being on using original flavour bases with different combinations to create meals with flair and flavour. One can roast butternut with a glaze of honey and sprinkled toasted sesame seeds or one can mash the butternut and top it with loads of parsley, lemon, olive oil and a dusting of sweet paprika.

Cooking is Nirit Saban’s playground and her passion. She loves traveling, exploring different cultures, art, dance and music, and using food as a medium and base to create, recreate and discover. She feels deeply connected to nature and what it provides us. Brought up in a family where food was always celebrated and festivals were always occasions for an abundant variety of delights, the foundation for her food-love was laid. She spent a couple of years in Israel, learning from local chefs and master confectioners, before returning to Cape Town in 2010 to run a very successful catering and deli kitchen, until establishing Olami in 2016.