FAMILY TIES

There’s no such thing as an ordinary meal

for the Smith-Saban family. It will always be an event – an opportunity to get together for a feast. “We are a family-oriented community and see each other at least once a week, no matter what,” says Sababa founder and owner Tal Smith, “and in Jewish culture, our gatherings are mostly centred around food.” And anyone who has ever visited her popular Mother City deli will know that her food isn’t ordinary either. It’s a true celebration of her cultural heritage.

Tal’s large family is Sephardic, with her parents Hava and Herzl Saban’s respective Libyan and Romanian origins inspiring a great deal of what she cooks. “The falafel is by far our most popular item on the menu,” she says. “The recipe was passed down through many generations