CANDY BERGER
Chef and owner, Lox in A Box and Fed Kitchen
As a young Jewish-Australian, chef Candy Berger observes both Hanukkah and Christmas. This may sound unusual, but with her catering background and a grandmother that will take any excuse to put on a feast, it’s not surprising.
Growing up in London, Berger was raised in a progressive Orthodox household. “We always went to synagogue. We never celebrated Christmas, and we did Hanukkah.” Later, her family moved to Santa Barbara, where her mum started a Jewish-focused catering company. This would go on to spark the inspiration for Berger’s own businesses, Lox in A Box – a specialty bagel shop in Bondi – and catering company Fed Kitchen.
Eventually, Candy and her family moved to Australia, where they started to celebrate Christmas despite not having any religious connection to the holiday. “My grandma, who is an amazing cook and still a private chef at 83, does a Christmas lunch every year for 50-odd people,” she says. There is no tree or presents but sharing in the joy of the time of the year has become its own special family tradition. “Really, any excuse to have the family together, and we’ll take it,” says Berger. The Christmas season also came to play a significant role in her business as well. “Clients would ask me to do Christmas dinners and lunches, so I learned how to do turkeys, giant glazed hams; the whole thing.”
For Berger, Hanukkah remains the most central end-ofyear holiday. “Hanukkah’s symbolism represents the soul and the flame of the Jewish people living on,” she says. Celebrated across eight days and nights, Berger’s family gather for meals and sometimes presents. And although it’s not as big as it was when she was growing up, it’s still important. “You eat food cooked in oil to symbolise the oil lamp and the menorah candle, so latkes [potato pancakes], doughnuts and other traditional Jewish things,” she says. “The sentiments are similar to Christmas. Gathering together, enjoying food, and making the story what you want of it.”
Whether it’s Hanukkah or Christmas, Berger says the sentiment that connects both is food. “Food for me is about gathering together. It’s such a common thread for everybody. You can sit down with anyone and you’ll have something to talk about if you talk about food. It’s a common ground.”
Her secret to making everyone feel welcome? “Share plates are a beautiful way to bring people together,” she says. “Having a single-plated meal can feel a bit formal. It’s nice to have smaller lots of share plates that you share with 2-3 people,”
And while this year may feel different, Berger hopes people can embrace the special side of smaller events. “This year will be different. At the same time, this leaves room to have more intimate gatherings, and honest conversations.”
“I think we’ll all get to the end of this year, and really reflect and think about it honestly. People often go through life with their eyes closed, and this has made us all really open them up, and open our eyes to the experience of others.” loxinabox.com.au, fedkitchen.com