“Portico:” Celebrate Rome’s Jewish Kitchen with Leah Koenig, Arthur Schwartz, and Rozanne Gold

"A gorgeous, heartfelt book that shines light on a uniquely delicious corner of Roman cuisine. A fascinating read―and a delight to cook from!” - Gwyneth Paltrow

Celebrate the publication of Leah Koenig’s new book Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen with New York’s beloved food maven Arthur Schwartz and four-time James Beard award-winning chef and author Rozanne Gold.

Join us in the Museum at Eldridge Street’s beautiful Main Sanctuary on October 17th at 6pm for a lively panel discussion delving into the riveting history and aromatic foodways of Rome’s Jewish community, among the oldest in Europe. Vibrantly portrayed in Leah’s captivating cookbook, published this Fall by W.W. Norton & Company, Leah chronicles a tale of modern-day Roman Jewish food culture, enlivened with anecdotes from the chefs, butchers, and waves of immigrants who helped shape the Jewish cuisine of the Eternal City.

As leading authorities on both Jewish and Italian food, Leah and Arthur, guided by moderator Rozanne Gold, explore the origins of la cucina ebraica romana (Roman Jewish cuisine) with research, recipes, and recollections. Discover how Rome’s millennia-old community became home to the food of the Diaspora, including those of the Libyan Jews who came to Rome in the 1960s and ‘70s. The result is a uniquely beguiling cuisine whose aromas fill the streets of Via del Portico d’Ottavia (the main road in Rome’s Jewish Ghetto) and beyond. Come fill your senses!

Tickets (Includes Museum Admission):
Adults $15
Students & Seniors $10
Children 5-17 $8

Ticket sales directly support the Museum at Eldridge Street and programs like this one! We are so grateful for your support.

About Our Speakers:
Leah Koenig is the author of seven cookbooks, including the acclaimed The Jewish Cookbook, Modern Jewish Cooking, the much-loved Little Book of Jewish Feasts, and The Hadassah Everyday Cookbook. Her newest book, Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen, will be published by W.W. Norton on August 29, 2023. Leah’s writing and recipes can be found in The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Tablet, Epicurious, and Food52, among other publications. She also writes a weekly newsletter, The Jewish Table, which shares recipes and stories from the world of Jewish food. Leah leads cooking classes and workshops around the world. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two children.

Arthur Schwartz, affectionately known as “the food maven” and “the Schwartz who ate New York,” is an award-winning cookbook author, journalist, and beloved radio talk show host. A native Brooklynite who is equally at home in Italy and New York, Arthur is known for his encyclopedic knowledge of the world’s cuisines. His acclaimed cookbooks include The Southern Italian Table, Jewish Home Cooking, Naples at Table: Cooking in Campania, New York City Food, Cooking in a Small Kitchen, Soup Suppers, and What to Cook When You Think There’s Nothing in the House to Eat. Arthur was the restaurant critic and executive food editor of the New York Daily News for 18 years. Over the last 50 years, he has worked as a food editor, columnist, restaurant critic, and cooking teacher. The host of WOR Radio’s FoodTalk for 20 years, he can now be heard on WHDD, an NPR affiliate.

Rozanne Gold, award-winning chef, food writer, and cookbook author, has been a fixture on New York's food scene since 1978 when she became chef to Mayor Ed Koch. A four-time winner of the James Beard Award, she was consulting chef to the Rainbow Room, Windows on the World, and three of New York’s three-star restaurants. Considered “Israeli food’s original influencer” by Tablet Magazine, and “one of the most important innovators in the modern food world” by Julia Child biographer Bob Spitz, Rozanne has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, and Gourmet among others. Known for her philanthropy, Gold was one of four Women Chefs for Peace on a mission to Israel and established a pop-up kitchen in Brooklyn after Hurricane Sandy. Rozanne is an end-of-life doula and co-founder of the “Death + Living Project.” She is also a poet; her chapbook Mother Sauce was recently published by Dancing Girl Press. rozannegold.com.

This program will take place in person in the Museum at Eldridge Street's Main Sanctuary. A book signing and reception will follow.