Eyal Shani in a candid interview: "I love her more than anything in the world"
Renowned chef Eyal Shani opens up about a personal tragedy, the 'quiet' boycott of Israeli restaurants abroad, and why he still refuses to watch himself on television.
He is one of Israel's most influential chefs, the mastermind behind dozens of restaurants worldwide, and a television icon whose culinary language has become a cultural staple. Yet for Eyal Shani, this glittering public persona is merely a vessel for something much deeper. In an interview with ice, held at the launch of the plant-based line 'Feel Gad,' he explains what drives him after four decades in the kitchen, how he navigates his media presence, and his perspective on the wave of antisemitism and boycotts facing Israeli businesses abroad.
When asked how he maintains relevance after so many years, Shani rejects complex branding strategies. For him, the creative process is instinctive and spiritual. "I walk within an internal silence, and then I feel a shift in the sequences; an idea lands in my head like a revelation—like Archimedes shouting. It’s not a strategy; it’s a process of being born and formed anew," he describes.
This endless creative fountain is what has kept him going for 40 years. His media presence—from the 'MasterChef' judge's chair to occasional modeling—is not an end in itself, but a means to reach people. "I don't seek out headlines, but they help me. I cook to give life, and I cannot stop. The headlines give me the right to touch people's lives," he says.
Ahead of the new 'MasterChef' season, Shani clarifies he has no intention of changing for the cameras. "I am 100% natural. I arrive as I am," he notes. Despite his years on screen, he still finds it difficult to watch himself. "I’m 67, and I still don't like seeing myself. Even as a five-year-old, when I picked up photos from the studio, I felt startled by my own image," he shares.
Expanding his restaurant empire—with 'Miznon,' 'HaSalon,' and others in New York, Paris, and London—has placed him at the forefront of the struggle for Israel's image. Shani notes that antisemitism has changed: "It used to be overt aggression; today, it’s a quiet boycott. They see the name, they see an Israeli, and they simply ignore." His response is not to fold, but to grow: "The only way is to increase activity, find more ideas, and remain optimistic."
Shani is also known for his deep connection to nature and animals. At home, he cares for Sudanese tortoises, which are a vital part of his daily life. However, he also carries a painful memory of a past loss. Showing his phone's screensaver, he says, "This was the greatest love of my life, Rona... who died. She reached 70 kilos and passed away after laying eggs. It was a terrible tragedy; I mourned for a year. It touches a different string in my heart."
When asked to pick a favorite restaurant, Shani cannot choose. "I tend to love the restaurant I am currently in. But my heart always draws back to the beginning: the first 'Miznon' on Ibn Gabirol, 'Malka,' 'HaSalon.' I love them because I created them with the innocence of a beginner, before I knew 'how' to do it—which today is no longer a feat."
