Meet Uzi Wizman | Owner of Borekas Sephardic Pastries

We had the good fortune of connecting with Uzi Wizman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Uzi, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
We initially rented out our first location to use as a kitchen for our catering company. Its a little hole-in-the-wall spot with a window. We quickly understood that until our catering business kicks up, we would need to start selling something small out of that window in order to pay our rent. Borekas in israel is a staple and literally found everywhere- but none in LA, so we thought why not give it a try?

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
It definitely was not easy, I don’t think that building a successful business is ever easy. The concept of borekas is very simple, something that I grew up on back in israel. Very straight forward. Fresh, high quality ingredients but nothing fancy. Its a staple in israel, its part of the culture. Bringing it to life here in LA was definitely more challenging because some people just didnt get it. Milk crates as chairs? Probably the biggest complaint we’ve gotten lol. Only one item on the menu? YES!
So you know, of course we had to tweak it here and there to fit the crowd and making it run the way I wanted it to run was also not easy, but it’s definitely getting where I want it to be.

In the beginning we were so busy that we didn’t have time to focus on anything other than the daily operation. So for about a year we didn’t really have time to grow and develop our brand, we just had our hands so full all the time. Now that we have 2 locations (with the 3rd opening up really soon!), everything is a lot more chill and easy for the team.
We’re working on a lot of cool stuff so I am really excited to see where the brand will go in 2025.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
To be honest, if I had a week to travel with my best friend I would get out of LA as fast as possible. Id probably head north through mammoth and go fishing and then continue up to Mt. Shasta and then drive back down the coast and just enjoy nature and being outdoors.
I love eating at local restaurants and finding those little hidden gems.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to start by thanking my wife, who has always been by my side, offering endless support and encouragement throughout this long journey. Her belief in me and my vision has been invaluable. I’m also deeply grateful to my immediate and extended family, who have always been there for me. Their love, guidance, and unwavering support have meant the world to me. This success is as much theirs as it is mine—I truly couldn’t have built this without them all.

Website: https://www.bo-re-kas.com

Instagram: @bo.re.kas

Image Credits
Shahab “Joon” G.