Many chefs have become famous in the local culinary scene over the past decade, mainly because of their ability, but also thanks to the breakthrough of Instagram and reality • Above all, Chef Sharon Cohen stood out for a decade
Shilo Restaurant // Photo: Daniel Israel
The past decade has opened with a loud fanfare and successfully sweeping the rise of the culinary reality show Master Chef. With its rise, in October 2010, the rules of the game were changed. Four years later, she joined another successful culinary reality show, "The Chef's Games." Both formats have led kings and redefined who is considered the influencer among the chefs community.
Undoubtedly these are Haim Cohen, a second ram, collected granite and meir sir who changed the course of the past decade and left a tremendous stamp, for better or worse. Over the years, the three veterans joined Israel Aharoni, a long-time chef, but not reality, Yossi Sheetrit and Erez Komorowski.
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Jonathan Rochfeld, on the other hand, is a wonderful example of the less-than-handsome example of such massive exposure. Rochefeld, considered the colorful judge, annoying but also learned and knowledgeable of "Master Chef," was quickly exposed and burned even faster. Meir sir also disappears from the camera and invests his energy and talent in opening restaurants overseas.
And if opening overseas restaurants, this issue, which is considered to be quite new among local chefs, has become a parameter that greatly influences the image of the Israeli chef. Ilan Shani, Haim Cohen, Meir Adoni and the Katit group, Asaf Granit and the Mehanyoda group, and recently Erez Komarovsky found considerable success in themselves and became ambassadors of the new Israeli kitchen in the Diaspora.
In addition to television, the new media and especially social networks have changed the characteristics of a chef universally as well as the Israeli one. In 2010, Instagram was created, the social platform that essentially visualized content, and became extraordinarily significant. It has changed world order and has been a major influence on our personal and professional lives.
Chefs like Omar Miller, Segev Moshe and Tom Aviv - undoubtedly owes Instagram a good deal of their success, sometimes without any connection to their success in the culinary industry.
In contrast, chefs like Haim Cohen, Erez Komarovsky, Ilan Shani, Israel Aharoni and Meir Adoni have become popular thanks to their work and publicity in culinary and television. It should be noted that the Instagram content of the other group is usually casual and directly related to their daily food business. This is of course with one exception, Meir Adoni, who sometimes moves between the two groups.
Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon
And what about those who play the game by completely different rules? Well, these are the main influencers, those who are successful and accomplished without any engine and catalyst besides their talent and energy. These are: Ural Kimchi, Barak Aharoni, Einav Azagori, Moti Titman, Yuval Ben Neria and my decade chef, Sharon Cohen of Shiloh Restaurant. These six chefs do not deliberately go against the wind, but have been choosing every day for many years over the past decade, to invest all their energy and time into the work itself. They probably already know that fine food, real success, and everyday work create authentic and quality content, and is not exposed to many viewers and followers.
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Not at all sure that the six in question does not want to screw up any old media or increase exposure in the new media in the future, but I have a feeling that they will do so in the long, consistent and proper way like Erez Komowski's way, for example. Komarowski began his television career with the culmination of an inspiring, long-standing culinary career. Therefore, for me and for dozens of Israeli chefs, he is a model of much admiration and appreciation, and therefore Komarovsky has earned me the Judaic title of the decade.
Chef of the Decade - Sharon Cohen Restaurant "Shiloh"
Sheila Restaurant has been on Ben Yehuda Street for fourteen years. She was small, humble and very self-conscious from the day she opened. Her chef had a clear and accurate vision and a scorching ambition. He already knew then that "Sheila" would be great. Not big, huge. "I was a poor guy when I opened Shiloh. I didn't have the money to buy a Coke for myself," Cohen says. As befits a chef who started from the bottom, in the first slot on the board, Sharon Cohen built himself slowly and thoroughly, due to the thumb.
Today, fourteen years later, "Sheila" is one of the most established, successful, successful restaurants in Israel. Like her chef, she is uncompromising, unattractive and knows exactly what she is and what she still aspires to be. Along with the meteoric success of "Sheila" came a huge exposure of the media, then it was only the old media but had a serious impact, like today - for better or worse. "Sheila" and her chef received uninterrupted coverage, and after one too revealing interview, Cohen gathered into himself and chose to do things a little differently.
For over two years you haven't heard from him. Cohen refuses to be interviewed, downplaying Instagram and mainly working and investing his energy and resources in the restaurant and his family. "I did a strenuous job with myself and started investing in what's inside not what's outside. After Florentine House closed (over a year) I put the whole emphasis on Sheila only. I came to the conclusion that my time with the kids was more important to me than maintaining or opening another restaurant."
What has changed?
"I decided to invest my resources only in the restaurant and in the customer experience. Financial and mental resources. If I had spent my time at Social Media and PR I would not have had time to invest in the restaurant. At Shiloh, I am a Van Maan show, my presence and references are critical. "
Are you complete with the path you have chosen?
"I suppose TV, social media and public relations are a serious explorer. This is without doubt the quickest and perhaps easier path to success. If you choose to delve into just creating real content it takes time to establish and succeed, there are no shortcuts."
"Today I already know that my way has paid off, I live and work according to my conditions. I succeed by my criteria and by my own aspirations and that is most important. I can afford to buy the best raw materials for Shiloh, to equip the kitchen with the most equipment. It's good to have and renovate the restaurant just because one table feels crooked to me. It's a success for me. "
"The fact that after 14 years of restaurant operations is full, it has a regular and established clientele, which is a success. If I can go for a weekend with my wife, can spend the afternoon with the kids and the restaurant works like a Swiss watch, it's a success."
What insights does a successful chef have at one of the most prosperous restaurants of the past decade?
"Success has softened me up, I'm nicer. I feel it is easier to interrogate, form friendships with colleagues and create dialogue with non-colleagues. Besides, I enjoy seeing what's going on in the city, what's going on in restaurants - not on Instagram, but in the restaurants themselves."
Something unequivocal that you learned about yourself?
"In business matters, I always knew that in order to rise, one must invest, today I know that this is true for my personal life as well. Some are talented, there are better than me, but not industrious."