Tzavta Salon + Cultural Dinner

IN JANUARY 2016, SIDEWALK CITIZEN BAKERY STARTED A MONTHLY CULTURAL DINNER SALON.

Called Tzavta, the hebrew word for the act of sitting together, sharing food and conversation among friends, the vision was to create an intellectual welcoming space. As a bakery whose existence and name was inspired by Jane Jacobs’ sidewalk ballet described in the death and life of great American cities, we are committed to the public sphere and the city’s cultural fabric.

We curate speakers whose profession and vocation needs to be better understood. Our conversation topics cover all aspects of humanity, culture and science. For each salon, we create an intricate hearty meal in honour of our speaker inspired by their passion, taste, heritage or whim.

MICHAL LAVI

Owner/Curator

Born in Israel, Michal graduated with a Geology degree and a minor in Applied Mathematics from the University of Calgary. After working several years as a geologist she quit her job to pursue her passion of making films and opening the bakery. Michal has written and directed six short films screened in over 50 international and national festivals. Currently she is working on a feature length film called Road Trip to the Biggest Perogie in the World , and is developing a one-hour TV drama. She manages the bakery with Aviv, develops the bakery’s connection and support of Calgary’s arts community, and curates the Tzavta Salon series.

AVIV FRIED

Owner

Born in Israel, Aviv Fried graduated with a Physics Honours degree and a Masters in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Calgary. He turned down a finance job in Toronto to pursue his passion to become an artisan baker. Self-taught at the start, Aviv later trained in Vermont with Jeffrey Hamelman of King Arthur Flour, in Paris with sourdough master Jean- Luc Poujauran and in San Francisco with Chad Robertson from Tartine Bakery. He staged at Ottolenghi in London and and at Blue Hill Farm with Dan Barber in NY. His travels took him to the Himalaya where he baked bread in Tengboche Buddhist monastery and the Everest Base Camp. From delivering bread on bicycle in a one-person operation, the bakery slowly grew and is now located in the East Village where it employs 40 people who makes fresh pastries and bread from scratch from local ingredients. . In 2011, Aviv was chosen for Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40. The bakery has been featured in numerous articles in local, national and international publications.