Once upon a tomato, there was a chef who looked at ingredients differently.

Where others saw vegetables, Eyal Shani saw stories. A tomato was never just a tomato. A pita was never just bread. Every ingredient had a soul worth listening to.

Since opening his first restaurant in Jerusalem in 1989, Eyal has become one of the most influential voices in modern Israeli cuisine. Self-taught, instinctive, and unapologetically poetic, he built his reputation by stripping food back to what matters most: exceptional ingredients, treated with respect and a little bit of audacity.

Today, together with his partner Shahar Segal, he leads more than 40 restaurants around the world. Yet the philosophy remains unchanged.

Follow the seasons. Trust the ingredients. Never overcomplicate what nature has already perfected.

And above all, trust the tomato.