Middle Eastern-Inspired Small Plates
Noam Halpert is a renaissance woman, a mother, a small business owner, an investor, an architectural and interior designer, and the inspired chef, together with Alon Greenstein (owner of Mezé Eatery in Grass Valley) behind Mezé Provisions, the catering progeny of the very popular Mill St. restaurant serving the same sought after, locally-sourced, organic, Middle-Eastern meals but with their own elevated flare.
Born and raised in Israel, Noam studied architecture and interior design at UCLA, working in the film industry as a set decorator and event designer eventually managing multi-million dollar developments in Costa Rica––an environment she describes as, “very corporate.”
A trip to Nevada County to visit friends in 2009 would eventually lead Noam to call Nevada City her full-time home. “We came to the Yuba, and that was it. We fell in love. We traveled back and forth for a few years, knowing we didn’t want to raise a family in LA, and in 2012, when I was five months pregnant, we moved to Nevada City.”
At home in her A-frame with her husband and two daughters, now 8 and 12, Noam began using her property to entertain family and friends, creating spaces and memories that centered around food, launching her catering business in 2023. “I’m a very intuitive cook,” says Noam. “I can cook with whatever ingredients I find in the cupboard. My best meals, even for clients, are when I don’t commit to a menu, when we have a concept, but I have the freedom to go to the market, see what’s fresh, local, and in-season, and then I can just get into the kitchen and fly.”
These moments of flight, aloft with inspiration, became the driving force behind Noam’s creation of Mezé Provisions, alongside Alon, with whom she shares a partnership and passion for nourishing those they serve. “It formed very organically,” shares Noam. “I’ve been friends with Alon and his wife, Tal, for a long time. Our kids have grown up together; we are like family.”
Israel is a melting pot of cultures and foods, “and the people who make it,” adds Noam, “One of the many reasons Nevada City felt like home.” From our local farms, to our homegrown gardens, to our dedication to quality and flavor derived from our county’s agricultural wealth. “I was drawn to the abundance of fresh produce and living close to the land,” she continues. “We use only top quality and organic ingredients in our cooking, just like in Mezé Eatery, and we serve to our clients what we serve to our families––there is never an option to go for lesser quality or non-organic. This is what we believe in.”
From hosting events in her home, to catering private dinners, family gatherings, weddings, Victorian Christmas, and Hot Summer Nights, Noam and Alon tackle events large and small, together and alone, both inspired by North African, Turkish, and Iraqi foods. “Growing up, I had an Iraqi nanny,” remembers Noam, “She would sit me at the big table and let me clean the rice. It was slow-cooking in the company of women making rich dishes from real food. There was nothing from a can, nothing from a box, everything was fresh. There was something about the slowness and simplicity; nothing too fancy. This is the true magic of food, the simplicity of real ingredients.”
In Hebrew, “meze” (מזה) means “small plates,” a style of eating intrinsic to Israeli culture and the Middle East. “In Israel, they’ll bring 5, 10, 15 salads to the table. You’ll eat it, and then you’ll order. This is what we relate to the most. We love family style dining, where there’s lots of little plates, everyone gets to taste everything, you touch each other’s hands as you reach across the table; it’s very communal. I added the name “Provisions,” because these are what you need to feed yourself. They’re what you need to take for the way.”
When she’s not in the kitchen, Noam tends to her garden, the next best thing, cultivating the quality ingredients she and Alon have become known for. “We love supporting what’s going on here locally when we can, and we enjoy the chance to create beautiful experiences around food,” shares Noam. “This is where I thrive. I can’t imagine myself living without a veggie garden, and to take this love of cooking and bring it full circle, to share with my girls where our food comes from and how it moves from seed, to harvest, to meal––this is what makes me happy. This is the love I put into my cooking.”
To connect with Noam and Alon, follow their offerings on Instagram. In addition to catering, they offer a monthly Friday pop-up with a changing seasonal menu and an organic family-of-four “Dinner To Go.”
Meze Provisions Catering: 818-943-0077
Grass Valley Eatery: mezeeatery.com
