Israeli Michelin Chef Eyal Shani - Uniting Humanity Through Food

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt

Jonah Platt

Faith And Spirituality, Cultural Exploration, Religion & Spirituality, Jewish Experience, Faith Conversations, Jewish Heritage, Society & Culture, Jonah Platt, Non-jewish Allies, Jewish Identity, Being Jewish, Diversity Of Judaism, Jewish Culture, Personal Journeys, Jewish Athletes, Celebrity Interviews, Art And Judaism Sports, Judaism, Jewish Food And Politics

4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 28 August 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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In this deliciously inspiring episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah sits down with world-renowned Israeli Chef Eyal Shani — the culinary visionary behind Miznon, HaSalon, Malkah, and dozens of other Israeli restaurants around the globe. As a ninth-generation Jerusalemite with no formal culinary training, Chef Eyal has redefined Israeli cuisine and hospitality while carrying out a mission much bigger than food– spreading positive energy, peace, and connection with each bite. Just days after the horrific October 7th attack, Chef Eyal was awarded the coveted Michelin star for his New York restaurant Shmone, but chose not to attend the ceremony. Why? He was busy cooking thousands of meals for soldiers on the Gaza border, embodying his belief that food is truly about people, not prizes.

Together, Jonah and Chef Eyal explore:

Why he treats every ingredient — from cucumbers to prime rib — as a living “creature” with a will and a story
The night violent anti-Israel agitators attacked the Melbourne branch of his restaurant Miznon, and how Lebanese neighbors saved his team’s lives
How his deep connection to the Palestinian women of the Jerusalem markets inspired his earliest dishes
Why he believes food can reunite Israelis and Palestinians — and create “a new Israel” after war
His vision for opening a boutique hotel and restaurant on the Gaza border as a symbol of renewal

Chef Shani’s philosophy is radical yet simple: there are no borders in food, only human beings. Don’t miss this extraordinary conversation with a chef whose cooking has become a language of hope. Listen to the full episode now and be part of the conversation.

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All Things Chef Eyal!

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew "MoJo" Jones; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Sean Leviashvili); Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Editor: Kai Patterson; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell; Production Assistant: Emma Webb; Theme Music by Gabriel Mann

MENTIONED IN EPISODE

Transcript

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0:00.0	Shalom, Kavarim, Banot, and welcome to another very special episode of the world's number one Jewish podcast.
0:08.1	I have to ask for a small favor.
0:10.4	As an independent show, we don't have a massive marketing machine behind us.
0:14.6	Our growth is purely organic, fueled by dedicated viewers and listeners like you.
0:19.5	So if you would be so kind, please take 30 seconds,
0:24.0	head over to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find this show, and leave me a five-star rating and a short
0:30.0	written review. I love seeing all of your thoughtful and generous feedback. Some of it has even
0:35.0	made it onto the show and may again. And as of this recording,
0:38.5	we are just eight ratings away from hitting 500 on Apple. Crossing that threshold would be a huge
0:44.3	milestone for us. It's a small mitzv on your part, but it really is the fuel that allows us to
0:50.0	keep these amazing conversations going. So thank you in advance.
0:54.8	Unless you don't leave a rating, in which case you're a butt head.
0:58.0	There's no borders when we are talking about food.
1:02.6	You received the coveted Michelin star weeks after October 7th.
1:07.4	You were busy cooking meals for the troops going into Gaza.
1:10.5	I saw the eyes of the soldiers and that was my mission.
1:14.6	I was completely there.
1:17.6	Welcome back to our summer series, Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, 30-minute Mensions.
1:22.6	Same vibe, same tribe, shorter episodes.
1:25.6	Today we're taking a bite out of creativity, deep ancestry, and also
1:29.6	hummus. A ninth generation Jerusalemite, man, that's a mouthful. My guest today is one of the
1:36.8	most influential chefs ever to come out of Israel, despite having no formal culinary training.
	...

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