Renowned Indian-Israeli chef Reena Pushkarna is back in the limelight, with the celebrity restaurateur preparing dinner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visit to Tel Aviv and getting a mention from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a joint statement issued during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel, Netanyahu praised the Indian chef for playing a key role in his personal life.
“I think our first or second date was at an Indian restaurant in Tel Aviv. Reena Pushkarna. And I have to tell you, there’s no doubt, first of all, the food was incredible,” Netanyahu said as his wife Sara nodded.
In his comments, Netanyahu referred to the Tandoori restaurant in Tel Aviv, which Pushkarna founded decades ago and which describes itself as “Israel’s most beloved Indian restaurant for more than 40 years.”
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“Sara was introduced to it for the first time, so it was a great first date. Not only because of the food, it was also a great date. So of course I am indebted to you, as are my children,” the Israeli prime minister went on to praise Pushkarna.
Later, the Delhi-born chef told ANI that the thanks from Netanyahu and PM Modi meant the world to her.
“I thank our Prime Minister Bibi (Benjamin) Netanyahu that India and Indian cuisine are of great importance to him,” she told the news agency.
“It’s a very close relationship and their whole family has been visiting me for the last 30 years… For me, it’s culinary diplomacy… He (PM Modi) thanked me… My wish has been fulfilled,” she quoted the celebrity chef as saying.
Who is Reena Pushkarna?
Born in New Delhi to an Iraqi-born Jewish mother and an Indian father, Reena married merchant marine captain Vinod Pushkarna at an early age and sailed with him for nine years, according to the Israel-Asia hub.
During her travels with Vinod, Reena learned to cook from various chefs she met on ships.
In 1983, the couple and their two children settled in Israel, and in the same year Reena opened Tandoori in Tel Aviv.
Since then, the celebrity chef has opened Indian restaurants across Israel as part of the Tandoori/Kohinoor chains and even opened Israeli restaurants in Singapore and Macau, according to the Israel-Asia Center.
Apart from running famous restaurants, Pushkarna also has a business manufacturing a range of kosher frozen Indian food for supermarkets in Europe, Canada and the US.
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Pushkarna has also appeared as a celebrity chef on several Israeli television shows.
In addition to her work in the hospitality sector, Pushkarna also served as an India consultant to the senior management of Marina Bay Sands and assisted them in setting up their offices in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. She also organized the Zee Cine Awards show at The Marina Bay Sands Singapore and The Venetian Macao.
Pushkarna has also had diplomatic ties over the years: it was part of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s delegation to India in 2003, which it repeated in 2018 when Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the subcontinent.
The celebrity chef was also involved in preparing food for Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel in July 2017, when she prepared food for the Indian Prime Minister at Netanyahu’s house.
Her restaurant in Tel Aviv, Tandoori, was also the scene of some peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians facilitated by Norway in 1993, according to the Israel-Asia Center.
