THE FIFTH COURSE x CAMPERS EP. 5
Orianne Shapira: The 28 year old behind holding Shmoné’s Michelin Star
I first met Orianne Shapira at Shmoné in the West Village, a dining room that somehow feels both electric and deeply personal. I was on a double date with my husband, plus our friends Chloe and her fiancé, doing what we do best: ohhhing and ahhhing our way through every plate. We were shamelessly mopping up every last drop with those Jerusalem bagels, pooling sauces from one dish to the next.
By the third course, I had to know who was behind the magic. When our server pointed to the open kitchen and said, “That’s Orianne,” I did a double take — a beautiful, young woman commanding the line with total calm. I immediately asked to meet her.
Cooking for another chef can be nerve-wracking, but with Orianne I didn’t flinch, even when I totally flopped my first attempt at caramel… I asked her to pick a dish that felt special, like home. She chose a Tarte Tatin, equal parts delicate and bold, and paired it with coffee and pistachio milk (a woman after my own heart).
What stayed with me wasn’t just her food, but her energy. She leads with quiet confidence, power without volume, precision without pretense. Orianne is as generous in spirit as she is disciplined in craft.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Who is she: Orianne Shapira
What does she do: Executive Chef at Shmoné and Shmoné Wine, NYC
Where to find her: @orianne_shapira | Shmoné NYC
Orianne’s story starts at home, cooking beside her dad. They weren’t just throwing together weeknight dinners. His specialties? Crab bisque, pâté, and Tarte Tatin. And my favorite detail, she was flambéeing bananas at eight years old. There was always a love for food.
After finishing her military service, she found herself torn between two worlds: design and food. She chose pastry school (which, at first, I didn’t totally get), but it made perfect sense once she explained it — the structure of design meets the creativity of cooking. It worked. Her first job was at The ShowRoom Bakehouse in Tel Aviv, where she quickly went from baker to running the place.
In 2019, she packed her bags and moved to New York to study culinary management at ICE. She thought pastry would be her path, until an interview at HaSalon changed everything. When they asked if she knew how to hold a knife, she said yes, and the rest unfolded naturally.
She started on the line at HaSalon, took a pause during COVID, then returned as sous chef when it reopened. Within two years, she was running the kitchen as Executive Chef. Now, at just 28, she’s holding a Michelin star at Shmoné, still smiling through the chaos, leading her team with the same calm confidence that got her there in the first place.
WHAT’S ON THE PASS
Tarte Tatin + cold brew with pistachio milk
THE CONVERSATION
Some favorite moments:
Saying yes to the knife. Orianne was a pastry girl through and through. But when she moved to New York and couldn’t find a pastry job, she started asking around—Eyal was her number-one text. One thing led to another, and she got connected to a chef who asked, “Do you know how to hold a knife? Want to work in the kitchen?” She said yes, and just like that, her food journey began.
Fashion + design love so she turned to pasty. This still blows my mind. When Orianne was younger, she had no idea what she wanted to study. She loved fashion and design—especially package design. Her mom, knowing both those passions, said, “Maybe you’ll love pastry.” And she agreed!
I mean… I kind of get it? But also, absolutely not. I am not a pastry girl. I don’t love to measure when cooking. But when she explained that pastry felt like package design—structured, precise, and creative it made sense. What do you guys think? Does pastry feel like design to you?
Cooking with dad. Some of Orianne’s sweetest memories are of cooking with her dad when she was little and not just “helping” cooking. She was flambéing at eight years old. I love her dad for that. As a mom, I totally get it!I can already picture Mars standing beside me, helping prep and stir. Real-world moments like that teach kids so much more than we realize.
Death row meal. This made me smile so big! Orianne’s last meal would be eggplant parmesan made by her mother and onion soup made by her father <3 And for dessert, Pilsbury brownie mix.
SIDE PLATE
What stuck with me after our conversation was how Orianne treats her menu like a living, breathing thing—always shifting with the seasons and her own inspiration. I asked what dishes we could expect in the coming months, and she laughed—because she truly doesn’t know yet. She cooks based on what produce catches her eye at the market. Of course, when her favorite (eggplant) is in season, it makes its way onto the menu in all kinds of forms and flavors.
OTHER RECS THIS WEEK
Snack: Not a snack, or a guess it could be. But I made Korean short ribs last night, which are always a slam dunk and are wildly easy to make. Recipe <3
Product: a productivity product! I got a little desk timer, and it’s been helping me fly through those random one-off tasks. We’ll see if I actually stick with it — but so far, I’m loving it. Here’s the one I got.
Outfit from the episode: Red sheer skirt, Opry T-shirt, Necklace ( I exclusively shop their resale section! I’m a sucker for secondhand).
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Orianne reminded me that mastery doesn’t always have to roar. Sometimes it hums. It’s in the way a dish comes together without force, the way a kitchen breathes when everyone trusts each other.
She’s leading one of the most exciting restaurants in New York right now, but what struck me most was her steadiness. The sense that she’s right where she’s supposed to be: creating, teaching, and feeding people with intention.
The full episode is live now! Watch here
SOUND BITES
Last of the October Playlist!!!
Thanks for pulling up a seat.
xx,
Gina
I found you on insta and then popped over here! Delighted more content!!!
This is so cool. I can't wait to watch the episode!