Cool Kid On The Block

As the son of restaurateurs in Tel Aviv, Chef Tom Aviv grew up around professional kitchens, but it wasn’t until he was halfway through the “MasterChef Israel” competition in 2016 (which he would go on to win) that he realized he wanted to become a chef. In fact, it was while in South Florida, where his family was planning to start a business, that he got the fated call informing him he’d made the cut.

“I had auditioned for ‘MasterChef Israel,’ with zero prior experience or knowledge of food, not taking it seriously. A few days after being in Miami I got the phone call that I passed the tryouts for the show, and from there my connection with food was born, and my hunger for becoming number one in the culinary scene never stopped growing after that,” Aviv says.

Although he has no formal training, Aviv exudes talent, bravado and a surplus of creativity — attributes that have catapulted him to the pinnacle of success in his homeland. In 2018 he founded Coco Group, opening several concepts woven together by Aviv’s emblematic no-holds-barred vibe. Coco Bambino, a buzzed-about taverna serving traditional Israeli dishes with an Italian spin in the heart of Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market neighborhood, was the first, followed by award-winning burger spot, Fat Cow — named “Best Hamburger in Tel Aviv” three years in a row by Time Out. Last year, on the heels of Israel and Morocco’s historic peace agreement, he became the first Israeli chef to open a restaurant in Casablanca – Milk & Honey, an all-day casual eatery recognized for modern top-tier halal cuisine.

“Opening a restaurant in Morocco came hand in hand with the peaceful relationship declaration among Israel and Morocco, and there’s nothing that embodies and carries a better olive branch than food, the wordless global language,” Aviv explains.

Called a “flavor rebel” by many, the fit, 35-year-old with a close resemblance to David Beckham sports an undercut hairstyle that reveals an equal passion for tattoos, which start mid-cranium and blossom wherever the eye can see.

“For tattoos… I stopped counting long ago, my rough guess would be over 100. Every little dot of ink on my body holds a meaning and a memory of something that I went through in my life. I hope I don’t run out of space soon.”

His latest venture is Branja, an inviting spot nestled in Miami’s Upper Buena Vista neighborhood boasting an industrial retro vibe. Cloaked in buttery yellow light, there’s an intimate bar that doubles as a Chef’s Table overlooking the open kitchen and a lovely covered terrace adorned with lots of plants that feels like you’re enjoying a meal in a Tel Aviv cafe. The ambiance is as important as the cuisine, and it is clear Aviv has gone to great lengths to get it just right.

“It takes a lot of inspiration from colorful vintage train stations, cathedrals, synagogues of Tel Aviv, and the modern visions of a ‘time machine.’ Stepping into Branja takes you back in time to an updated version of a ‘70s Tel Aviv when pastel colors were everywhere, the melting pot was coming together and brewing the most colorful and diverse stew in the Mediterranean, embodied by the fashion, the food and the aesthetic. It radiates a nostalgic feeling to an unknown place and setting,” Aviv says.

He explains that the word “branja” literally translates to a tree branch in Hebrew, but the connection lies far deeper than that.

“It’s a slang term for an inner circle of friends, or the ‘cool kids.’ Branja is practically formed by an array of brains conjoined together from Israel, and dedicated especially to bringing this project to life,” he explains, before adding, “plus, we are the new cool kids on the block.”

Being the cool kid includes a creative spin on Israeli food, which has seen an uptick in popularity in recent years.

“Israeli cuisine is a very vague term that includes so many different kitchens inside of it, and we like to think of it as a ‘Fusion Kitchen on steroids.’ This is because the cooking styles of Israel and surrounding areas are knocked up a few notches in terms of flavor profile and intensity, as if it’s a concentrated extract of all the great things that specific culture has to offer, and bring that max potential out of it,” Aviv says.

Start with the simplest of flavors and you’ll soon understand what Aviv means. Breaking Bread, Za’atar Sourdough and Sage Butternut is a prelude to the surge of fantastic flavors to come. Brooklyn Heights Sashimi features thin slices of rose-colored beet-cured salmon with sour cream, Cambodian pepper and horseradish and the Lunchero Empanadas — the chef’s nod to Miami’s Latin American roots — boasts a flavor-packed blend of Musakhan chicken, caramelized onions, sumac, pine nuts and petite raisins and served along with a tangy salsa verde.

Vegetarian dishes abound, like the Krouv “Cabbage,” a slow-cooked “Short Rib Style” cabbage served with crème fraîche and brave sauce (made with green hot peppers, garlic and extra virgin olive oil) that is a smoky, melt-in-your-mouth delight.

Aviv prides himself on his nontraditional take on the world and the food he serves.

“I create food according to what makes sense in my head, not necessarily ‘by the books,’ even if it makes the French chef legends uneasy or Italian grandmas furious. I don’t have limits because I haven’t had any professional training or mentorship prior to stepping into the restaurant industry. I’m loose-handed when it comes to spices, I’m not afraid to be bold and make the flavors pop.”

One such example is his Fishwarma, a signature dish at Branja.

“It mimics the best features of the classic shwarma by mixing fatty salmon belly, lean Kanpachi and juicy grouper fish marinated in a heavy spice mix to achieve the maximum flavor out of the ingredients. It’s paired with our homemade preserved lemon salsa and labneh tahini and garnished with pine nuts and paprika oil, really showcasing the agenda of what Branja is: a play on a twist on another twist of nostalgia from elsewhere,” Aviv says.

Opening a restaurant in Miami is a full circle moment for the chef, who considers getting that call from “MasterChef Israel” a pivotal moment in his life. And while he’s not sure what comes next, it is clear his focus and ambition will get him far.

“I want to be well known and feed as many people around the globe as I can. Of course, alongside the dream of Michelin stars, and more than that, aiming for the actual stars. Expanding to different businesses in the United States is one of the boldest things in my plans.” 

TukTuk Kebab

Serves 1-2

“The inspiration and connection between the Israeli concept dish of a kebab on a skewer and Thai flavors made a lot of sense to us in the brainstorming phase, based on the use of fresh and fragrant ingredients and spices, the flavor kicks and presentation that seem to be very mutual in Israel as well as in Thailand.

The idea of adding the holy trinity of Thai cuisine: ginger, cilantro and lemongrass, just seemed natural and fitting to our hand-minced beef, paired with tamarind paste, which we then serve over sunchoke puree (mashed potatoes works as well). Alongside the addition of our homemade version of the Egyptian Doah spice mix based on freshly roasted seeds.”

—Chef Tom Aviv

Ingredients

1lb. coarsely minced beef

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon anise seeds

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 oz. lemongrass, minced

2 oz. cilantro, minced

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Process

• Add all the ingredients to the minced beef and mix well by hand.

• Form long kebabs and stick a wooden or a metal skewer through the middle.

• Cook on an open-fire grill, flat top or in the oven at 350˚ F for around 10-15 minutes, until cooked through.

Sauce

4 oz. tamarind paste

4 oz. vegetable stock

2 oz. sugar

Place in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until a glaze texture is achieved, 3-5 minutes.