Janna Gur was born in the Latvian capital of Riga and moved to Israel in 1974. She founded Al Hashulchan, Israel's premier food and wine publication, which she edited for nearly 30 years. Gur is the author of The Book of New Israeli Cuisine and Jewish Soul Food: From Minsk to Marrakesh, as well as approximately 40 other cookbooks he has written or edited. She is a Tel Aviv resident.