Israel cuisine on the road with US food truck tour

Israel’s Tourism Ministry launched a food truck tour across the United States, offering free tastings of Israeli cuisine in four locations this week.

The “Taste of Israel” tour, led by Israeli chef Yossi Shitrit, visited Boca Raton, Fla., on Sunday; Atlanta on Tuesday; Nashville on Wednesday; and was scheduled to be in the Dallas–Fort Worth area on Friday.

The food truck offers complimentary tastings, including vegetarian options, accompanied by Israeli music.

“One taste is enough to fall in love,” Tourism Ministry Director-General Michael Izhakov said. “Together with Chef Yossi Shitrit, one of the leading names in Israeli cuisine, we are bringing the tastes and aromas of Israel to American audiences: from the spice markets of Jerusalem to the beachfront restaurants of Tel Aviv, from the Galilee to the Negev.”

The United States is Israel’s largest source of incoming tourism. Some 295,000 American tourists visited Israel from January through September, accounting for 37% of incoming tourism during that period, according to the ministry. About 448,000 Americans visited in 2025, representing approximately 34% of all incoming tourists.

Shitrit, a prominent Israeli chef, is known for combining traditional Israeli and family influences with contemporary cooking techniques.

“For me, everything begins with taste and memory,” he said. “Even when I create a new dish, the flavors of home are always there.”

The food truck tour is part of the ministry’s international “I AM ISRAEL” tourism campaign, launched in June.

According to the ministry, the campaign has generated more than 320 million media impressions and 105 million completed video views and has expanded to Canada and the United Kingdom. —JNS