For thousands of years Jewish people have been gathering around the table on Friday nights to celebrate a humble but ancient ritual, the sabbath meal. The lighting of candles, the singing of simple blessings and the breaking of bread have been the unifying thread that has connected Jewish life across centuries and continents. In this multi-dinner series, Alissa Kondogiannis explores Shabbat dinners as they have evolved in Jewish communities around the world, e.g. Ashkenazi in Eastern Europe, Sephardi in Spain and North Africa, Mizrahi in the Middle East and Central Asia.

After many years working in top kitchens across the country (2012 PEI Chef of the Year, among other accolades), Chef Dave Mottershall blazed a trail through Toronto a decade ago with his widely acclaimed pop-up Loka Snacks and first-of-its-kind, Kickstarter-backed Loka on Queen Street. Along the way he became a regular fixture at The Dep with his popular charcuterie workshops, and imaginative dinners. Now after several year back out East, he has returned to Ontario and is gearing up to launch Luca, a new, high-octane Italian restaurant in downtown Barrie with dishes inspired by Calabria, Emilia-Romagna, and Tuscany. Drop by for an exciting sneak preview of what this fabulously talented chef and his team have in the works.