VIDEO: Conversation with Amy Zitelman, CEO of Soom Foods

Soom Foods is a purveyor of high-quality tahini and tahini products as well as silan (date honey). The tahini is made from roasted sesame seeds grown in the fertile Humera region of Ethiopia. The silan is made from dates grown in the Jordan Valley and Arava Desert in Israel. The entire product line is manufactured in Israel. The tahini is OU certified and the silan is OK certified. These products use no emulsifiers, additives, preservatives or fillers.

Tahini is a food that is quintessentially woven into the fabric of modern Jewish cuisine. Yet it’s always been in the background, hiding in humus or playing a supporting role as a condiment on a falafel sandwich.

To learn more about tahini, I chatted with Amy Zitelman, CEO of Soom Foods, in February. During our 25-minute conversation, Amy told a truly fascinating story of a product that she has now helped bring to the forefront, both with her products and with her cookbook. She spoke passionately about the nutritional value of tahini and sesame seeds; why she and her two sisters founded Soom Foods; the challenges and opportunities of being a women-owned business; and her exciting new cookbook, "The Tahini Table."

Here is a summary of our fascinating conversation:

0:00 The marketplace problem that Soom Foods sought to solve.

3:10 Soom Foods was founded as a tahini brand that is relatable and accessible to Americans.

4:35 A short history of tahini, its origins and where the sesame seeds are sourced from.

7:05 The health benefits of sesame seeds. They are a great plant-based source of protein, calcium and iron, phosphorus, magnesium and healthy fats. They also contain zero sugar and no carbohydrates. They are a possible remedy for migraines.

8:32 The inspiration for starting this company. Dietary trends (paleo, keto, etc.) and the rise of healthful eating in the USA. Tahini fits in with all of these. It’s also a great substitute for peanut butter and almond butter – especially for people with allergies to those foods.

9:16 How tahini compares to peanut butter. Other characteristics include: its "mouth feel”; its thickness (it’s thicker than olive oil and thinner than peanut butter); its flavor (other sesame seeds have a much more bitter flavor profile than Ethiopian-grown sesame seeds used to make premium high-end tahini).

10:47 The type of sesame seed variety (White humera) that Soom uses. These are grown in the Humera region of Ethiopia

11:45 Are the products certified organic? One tahini is organic certified, but the chocolate tahini and silan are not certified organic. (Very few pesticides and additives used on these.) The sesame crop is very important for the Humera farmers – but in order to get their certification, they would need to rotate their crops and that was too much to ask. Understanding the implications of what some of these certifications truly mean, in terms of cost and supply/demand or what they are growing besides sesame seeds

13:11 As a 3-woman-owned business, what opportunities and challenges has this presented? Israeli manufacturers in Israel did not understand Soom's goals. Certifications as a women-owned business. Implications for starting a business so young. Discussion around the challenges of being a young entrepreneur and a young woman-owned business, including personal aspects such as getting married and having children.

17:32 Family is is more important than anything else and is a core brand value. The Soom sisters come from a family of entrepreneurs. There needs to be a balance between business and family. And there needs to b intention on separating them and figuring out what is really important

19:45 she Love the energy of Northern Israel; so diverse and very different than Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

20:07 What's Amy’s food philosophy? She leads off with easy and simple, particularly with a toddler at home. Also, Soom is one ingredient and it can be added to almost anything that you are eating. It is very shelf-stable. The qualities of tahini that inspire Soom are "delicious, nutritious and versatile.” Food that embody all three of these, and are easy to make and consume, encompass her food philosophy.

21:39 Recipes have to inspire you. Amy’s new kosher-style cookbook, "The Tahini Table,” is all about tahini. The goal is to inspire people to keep cooking more at home and to cook more confidently in the future.

22:48 The cookbook has over 100 recipes on how to cook with tahini, including sauces, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and everything in between. Favorite recipes? Tahini Maple Granola is delicious snack which may be eaten at home as a yogurt topping. Turmeric tahini sauce paired with roasted chicken with crunchy chickpeas is another favorite.

Where to Purchase Soom Foods Products

Soom Foods products may be purchased online or at your local health food store. For readers of this website, take an extra 10% off with coupon code ConsciouslyKosher.