Israeli chef Tomer Blechman first made his mark in New York with Miss Ada, a Fort Greene restaurant he opened in 2017, known for its creative spin on Israeli cuisine. Since then, Blechman, 44, has expanded his footprint in Brooklyn, adding Nili in Carroll Gardens in 2020, and Theodora, a Mediterranean restaurant focused on dry-aged fish, in February of this year.
Most recently, Blechman launched Thea, a bakery offering Israeli-style baked goods with a Mexican twist, in partnership with Theodora's co-owner, Gerardo Estevez. All three establishments—Miss Ada, Theodora, and Thea—are located within a two-block radius in Fort Greene, forming an emerging Israeli food scene in the trendy Brooklyn neighborhood.
Originally from Ra’anana, Israel, Blechman moved to Brooklyn in 2006, intending to practice acupuncture. However, when his Israeli certification wasn’t accepted in the U.S., he turned to cooking. He honed his culinary skills at renowned restaurants like Maialino, Bar Bolonat (run by fellow Israeli chef Einat Admony), and Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern before launching his own venture.
“Acupuncture is about healing, and I realized that food can be healing too,” Blechman explained in a 2019 interview with TimeOut. Miss Ada, which plays on the Hebrew word "misada" (meaning restaurant), remains his most overtly Israeli establishment, though Blechman describes the food as “Mediterranean with a twist.”
* The Jewish Telegraphic Agency contributed to this article.