The origins of Nagila Vegan Restaurant:
That culinary partnership manages the restaurant today — and is also what inspired its start. It was 2012, and Foldes’ youngest daughter, Meshi, was turning 12-years-old. As is customary in Jewish tradition, Foldes went about organizing a bat mitzvah for Meshi, but soon realized none of the food they found was worth the high price tag. So she, Maque, and another friend, decided to cater the party themselves.
“It was a beautiful and wonderful catering for 80 people,” Foldes recalls. “Afterwards, a girlfriend asked me to do the same for her daughter. So we did it again, and then I knew we had something good.”
At the time, Foldes was working as a kindergarten and exercise teacher, but was in the midst of looking for a career change. Following the success of the bat mitzvahs, food seemed like a logical step.
“I’d never worked in a restaurant in my life. The only thing I knew was how to cook and invite people to my house and let them taste my food,” says Foldes. “I had to learn everything along the way and it was hard work to start and it is still hard work.”
With this mentality of cooking for people as though they’re in her home, Foldes and her family searched for the perfect location. They finally came across this small house in Even Yisrael — a former men’s clothing store full of suits, closets, mirrors, and harsh lighting. But slowly, and with the support of others, Foldes installed a kitchen, terrace, and more. By the end of 2013, Nagila Vegan Restaurant was ready to serve its first customers.
Bringing vegan food to Jerusalem:
The restaurant wasn’t vegan from the start. As one of two vegan restaurants in Jerusalem today, Foldes and Maque were concerned they would isolate customers just as they were trying to build their reputation. “We let the people come over and over again, and then decided little by little to take the milk, cheese, and eggs out,” says Foldes, adding that Maque is vegan and was helping urge the change. “We didn’t want to do it quickly and have people say ‘ah, they’re vegan, there is nothing for us to eat.”
Foldes says there are many reasons why the restaurant has opted for the vegetarian and vegan fare. One is that vegetarian and vegan dishes have a smaller ecological footprint than meat and animal-based ones. Another is the simple fact of market demand: Jerusalem is home to a growing group of people who are thinking about eating healthier, fresher diets, and Nagila caters to that desire.
Not trying to be sustainable solely in the ingredients that go in their dishes, Foldes and her staff also recycle; separate their organic waste to use as compost, and try not to use ingredients that are canned and bottled. In the Nagila kitchen, fresh and from scratch are best.
And when it comes to the food, vegan is by no means synonymous with boring or bland. The culinary team at Nagila has pulled inspiration from around the world: Caribbean sambusac can be served with Greek-style moussaka, while across the table you could have curry stew and various pasta dishes.
