feel-good food that’s CREATIVELY AUTHENTIC, HEALTHY and LOCAL
CREATIVELY AUTHENTIC
Growing up amongst the olive trees, fruit orchards, farms and ranches of the Mediterranean, Tomer absorbed generations of Moroccan culinary know-how from his grandmothers and his mother, Ziva. In their kitchens, he learned that memorable food comes from patience, vibrant flavors and using the best ingredients treated with care.
He gained experience in restaurant kitchens across the Mediterranean, before completing formal training at the French Culinary institute in New York, where he met Jody. Together we (Tomer and Jody) continued learning from some of New York’s most respected French and Italian chefs - Daniel Boulud, Gray Kunz, and Lidia Bastianich, as well as from chefs throughout Europe and Asia.
In 2006, we brought everything we had learned to Seattle — drawn by its rich oceans, incredible farmland, and vibrant food community. Today, ZIVA reflects that journey: Mediterranean food deeply rooted in tradition, shaped by experience, and guided by the seasonal availability of ingredients grown by farmers around us.
HEALTHY
At ZIVA, we love the magic that happens around food — the chatter around the table, the excitement of sharing a great meal, and the way thoughtfully prepared and minimally processed food from real ingredients can leave you feeling energized, nourished, and restored.
When we started ZIVA in 2015, we began with hummus, planning to gradually expand into a broader range of Mediterranean foods. But the hummus took off faster than we ever imagined (yes, we are the same ZIVA you used to see on the shelves of 55 stores in the Seattle/Tacoma region). We found that we had been pulled away from the hands-on cooking and home-made flavor that inspired us to start ZIVA in the first place.
So, in 2022, we right-sized ZIVA and refocused around farmers markets, reconnecting with the seasonal ingredients growing abundantly around us. This change allowed us to craft the variety of foods we believe keeps our community vibrant, happy and healthy.
Everything we offer is the opposite of mass-produced, ultra-processed foods found in US grocery stores. ZIVA’s foods are prepared by the two of us in small batches, with intention, care and vibrant ingredients.
LOCAL
Our travels, training and education taught us that Mediterranean food shines brightest at the confluence of two streams: fresh, seasonal, local ingredients and simple recipes enlivened with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and spices that really let the ingredients sing.
Since moving to Seattle in 2006, we have found ourselves perfectly positioned to truly embrace these Mediterranean cooking ideals by focusing on the bounty that grows around us in the Pacific Northwest and sharing it with you. We buy most of ZIVA’s ingredients from our farmers market neighbors, like carrots from Dear Table Farm to make our Moroccan Carrots or Carrot-top Pesto, and tomatoes from Zestful Gardens for our Heirloom Tomato & Baharat spice soup.
And we love helping you CONNECT the dots between the market booths.Our spice blends and dressings are made to pair perfectly with other vendors’ products — like our Shakshuka Sauce with Left Foot Farm eggs and topped with Glendale Shepherd sheep’s milk feta.
If you don’t know us yet, please introduce yourself! You can find either Tomer or Jody working our farmers market booths (locations are listed on “Where to Pick Up”). We look forward to connecting with you in person.
See you at a market soon!
~ Tomer and Jody
