Welcome to Times Will Tell, the weekly podcast from The Times of Israel.

This week, we’re speaking to David Kichka, founder and producer of the Israeli Cuisine Festival, opening November 11 for two weeks around the country.

Kichka, a culinary entrepreneur who has produced different food events in Israel over the last decade, speaks about the Michelin-starred chef meals,  market tours, hummus, olive oil and wine tastings that make up this first-time event.

There are chef meals and talks in several Dan hotels, dinners created by chefs Ezra Kedem and Erez Komarovsky in their pastoral homes, street food meals and 17-course dinners, the whole gamut of dining experiences.

Kichka also delves more fully into his definition of Israeli cuisine, looking at the chefs who study abroad and bring their knowledge home, adding to the Israeli vibe that has helped create the local culinary culture.

"It's okay to be an immigrant country," said Kichka, pointing to the "salad of origin" of Israelis, coming from different places and adding their tastes to the local gastronomical melting pot. "It's become part of our identity."

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IMAGE: David Kichka, the culinary entrepreneur behind the new Israeli Cuisine Festival (Courtesy David Kichka)

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