Chocolate Truffle Making for Kids with Chef Avi Szapiro

Bogota, Colombia native Avi Szapiro graduated from the Culinary Institute of America with a degree in culinary arts and later did an executive program in business at INSEAD in Fontenbleu, France. Avi, the executive chef and owner of ROIA Restaurant is a Fellow at the Pauli Murray College at YALE. His culinary experience includes kitchens in Lyon, Paris, NYC, Oakland CA, London, Barcelona and Mumbai. Avi’s culinary passion and love has branched into the food industry beyond the world of restaurants; he is a contributor to the award winning national brand of food for kids, KIDFRESH and the sustainable category of new heritage chickens in the US Cooks Venture a first of its kind company focused on slow-growing heirloom chickens that sequester carbon during the time they are raised. Avi serves on the Board of a sustainable packaging company in Bogota Colombia that produces the only U-straw made from sugar cane pulp in Latin America. During the beginning of COVID-19 hit, Avi focused his attention and effort in the New Haven CT, developing models to feed the vulnerable and the Hospital’s front liners. A founding member of Frontline Foods New Haven, a partner to Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen. Avi lives in Westville with his wife Meera and daughter Eliani.