Two Siblings Who Left It All Behind to Build Food Careers

In today’s episode, we sit down with siblings Orel Zwiebel and Nani Edry, two creatives who took very different paths into the world of food. Orel shares how her background in wellness, yoga, and mindfulness eventually led her to Escoffier and the creation of Zest & Gather, a concept centered around intentional food experiences and community. Nani reflects on his unconventional journey from shaping surfboards and working in tech to building Nani’s Dough and expanding his culinary ventures in New York City. Together, they talk about creativity, risk-taking, hospitality, and why the most memorable food experiences go far beyond what’s on the plate. You can listen to and find any resources mentioned in this podcast on our official page: https://www.escoffier.edu/podcast/150... —About Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts— ⭐️RANKED #1 CULINARY SCHOOL IN THE WORLD 2025* ⭐️100% ONLINE WITH HANDS-ON INDUSTRY EXTERNSHIP ⭐️LARGEST CULINARY SCHOOL BRAND IN THE USA** Listen and subscribe to The Ultimate Dish on: ► Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3gS2ZYF ► Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qfU33M Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 02:40 - What's in your Background? 06:35 - Growing Up Together 08:55 - Food, Then and Now 12:48 - Nani's Unconventional Path 18:25 - Woven into Wellness 23:05 - Systems in the Kitchen 28:33 - Taking the Leap to Culinary School 35:12 - Risk, Fear, and Excitement 39:58 - Food Network and Nani 42:10 - Secret Sauce to Success 43:40 - Reverse Engineering Flavor 46:36 - Exciting Food Experiences 53:58 - Making People Feel Seen 57:08 - Nani and Orel's Ultimate Dishes 59:50 - Enter Matt Zwiebel *Cozymeal **Based on comparable student population data for Austin and Boulder as reported in Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)