Lior Lev Sercarz has made quite a name for himself as the man behind La Boîte, which sells more than 80 original spice blends plus their signature biscuits. A former chef who grew up in Israel, lived and worked in France, and then moved to New York City, Lior shares his story in this episode. But what really occasioned this interview at this moment in time was the publication of Lior's new book A Middle Eastern Pantry: Essential Ingredients for Classic and Contemporary Recipes--his fourth book, and a real departure from his three prior, spice-focused publications.This episode is brought to you in part by meez, the recipe operating system for culinary professionals. Try out their free basic version today.Andrew’s next book The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food is now available for preorder! Please consider purchasing your copy/copies in advance and help the book have a great lift-off.Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related news.