This week on Times Will Tell we're speaking with Shalom Simcha Elbert, head of research and development at OCD, recently named Israel’s best restaurant at the 2022 Israeli Kitchen Awards, sponsored by American Express.

The name (an acronym for obsessive compulsive disorder) refers to the meticulous care that the culinary team, led by chef Raz Rahav, pours into each dish of the nightly tasting menu served to every diner.

The Jerusalem-born and raised, Italian-trained Elbert found his way to the world of fermentation in Italy and now handles that process at OCD, which prides itself on being a zero waste restaurant, where all parts of every ingredient are used, often fermented for use in the restaurant's pantry. 

When an OCD grower had an overflow of apricots, the restaurant took them all, fermenting, curing, making hot sauce, baking into bread and bringing that conversation to the open bar where all 23 diners are seated each night, in constant conversation with the chefs cooking right in front of them.

"We tell the story of what's going on," said Elbert. 

IMAGE: OCD's head of development Simcha Shalom Elbert in front of OCD in Jaffa (Courtesy)