Eat Small Plates: Vibrant, Shareable Dishes for Daily Joy

The dynamic couple behind @BenGingi share their favorite mix-and-match-ready recipes for effortless everyday dining and easy hosting

From a serendipitous meeting on a street corner in a tiny town in the Italian Alps to their food studio at the heart of the East Village in New York City, Ben and Zikki have been on a culinary adventure since the very moment they met. Ben’s first gift to Zikki? A half loaf of beetroot sourdough. And their first date? Zikki taught Ben to make potato varenyky, secretly prepping him to help her make 1,000 for an event the following week!

These days, with not a moment to spare, they happily host friends and family and run a sought-after catering business in New York City. Their debut cookbook, Eat Small Plates, is an ode to a style of eating at the heart of their lived experiences together: traveling, creating a family, and building beautiful lasting friendships wherever a meal can be shared. Here, they offer their favorite small plate recipes for greater joy and connection every day.

Ben’s knack for vibrant Israeli flavors and Zikki’s passion for shareable, soul-warming Ukrainian-inspired dishes combine in Eat Small Plates to create bold and exciting recipes for every dinner or gathering. With favorites such as Ben’s freshly baked Pita, Zikki’s crunchy chopped Jeweled Celery Salad, and creamy Cashew Basil dip, this ultimate hosting cheat sheet helps home cooks transform simple ingredients into beautiful, intentional dishes. Ben and Zikki share essential cooking techniques--from charring an eggplant to incorporating pickling into your daily routine--and even tips for those who don’t want to cook at all (but still want to host!). This book is a celebration of the feast-ready lifestyle, and a guide to spreading love through food.

Ben Siman-Tov is a baker, chef, and the creator of @BenGingi, where he teaches his followers how to master even the most complex treats at home. With a wealth of experience in hospitality and gastronomy, Ben has trained under industry leaders such as Eyal Shani and Erez Komarovsky. Originally from Rehovot, Israel, Ben moved to the United States during COVID to start his life with his wife and culinary partner, Zikki, in New York City.

Zikki Siman-Tov, a born and raised New Yorker, is chef and co-owner of Eat Small Plates, a successful catering company in New York City serving a wide variety of events, from intimate weddings and festive gatherings to large-scale corporate functions. After launching their business from the East Village in New York City, Ben and Zikki moved to the countryside to expand their space and now live with their daughter, Tami, and their Frenchie, Olivia, in North Jersey.