I thought I'd start with an introductory, descriptive and comprehensive paragraph - about Mahaniuda and the world fame reserved for her.
I was debating whether, in honor of thirteen years of luxurious, happy and incredibly delicious restaurants - perhaps it would be worthwhile to interview Chef Assaf Granit.
I even considered giving you a comprehensive and international review of the group's restaurants spread across the globe - from Jerusalem to Berlin, via London and Paris.
But I chose to introduce you from my heart, the beating heart of Mahaniuda, the team.
Or more correctly and to be precise - the crème de la crème of the wonderful team of the Mahaniuda group.
If there is a group that already many years ago understood the value of "together" and the power inherent in joint, fruitful and collegial action - it is the Mahaniuda group.
We enjoy constantly dealing with one of the spectacular tips of the pyramid, aka Chef Assaf Granit - and rightly so, Granit is fascinating, talented, televised, reserved, measured and has one of the highest celebrity ratings in Israel.
But as he likes and makes sure to testify to himself, he is not a solo act.
Granit also collected granite thanks to the coveted brigade that has been marching and hunting with him for thirteen years.
Bar Mitzvah for Makhaniuda restaurant, photo: Yoni Rickner
This month the Bar Mitzvah celebrations of Mahaniuda are celebrated in a variety of happy and maddening events.
Most of them have already been celebrated and the few that are still on the way are a guaranteed Jerusalem pleasure.
This week, I went up to the beer to give my friends a brave and loving hug, to wish them lots of good luck, to document in a unique way a service where they all cook together - as well as to talk even before the volume goes up and the tequila flows like water - about the essence of being from Hanioda.
I had the privilege of sitting and listening to two of the most fascinating of them: Chef Uri Navon, Granit's partner and the one who founded the mother restaurant with him in July 2009. Navon is called a genius chef in our districts and for good reason.
Besides his unquestionable talent in the kitchen and his wonderful hand, which knows how to cook wonders - Navon also knows how to talk about restaurants in an exciting and mesmerizing way.
And it's not just his deep and beautiful voice, but his intellectual thinking and brilliant brain that knows how to convey clear, sharp and business-like messages about a world that is sometimes perceived as romantic and incidental.
The second, chef Itzik Ruham, a partner of Granit and Navon and who serves as the group's vice president in Israel.
Ruham is an actor of soul and heart.
His personal range in this culinary combination is the most desirable mix in the industry.
A chef who is all in all, who is one for everyone and who is impossible not to love with all the veins of the heart and soul.
He cooks with his whole being and so also manages the affairs of the group.
There is not an ounce of indifference in him and he is full of intelligence and sensitivity.
Bar Mitzvah for Makhaniuda restaurant, photo: Yoni Rickner
One of the group's greatest prides is the ability to build a team for Talphit and maintain it over time "It's something we try to preserve and nurture, that employees will be with us for a long time, and happily it's happening" according to Itzik.
"Besides that, I'm always amazed by the number of good cooks who grew up with us and became great professionals" adds Navon.
Indeed, I got to experience the huge support of the team's greats a few weeks ago when Chef Uri Navon, Chef Itzik Ruham, Chef Assaf Seri and Chef Eliezer Mizrahi came down from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv to introduce the players to Chef Oren Assido who grew up in their kitchen.
It was a happy and energetic evening, but above all one that gives a warm and welcoming hug to the next generation.
"The group dynamic between us was very clear from the beginning, it was clear that Assaf (Granit) takes the front in addition to his work as a very involved chef.
We talk every day, all day.
We update each other on everything.
Now we still had to put things in order, we developed and grew.
We have reorganized the company, so that everything is clear.
We decided on a supreme culinary authority - these were supposed to be Eliezer Vasi (Assaf Seri) but Asi felt that Zemach needed his exclusive attention.
When the menu at Zemach will be exactly as Esi dreams it will be - he will join Eliezer and together they will be responsible for the culinary management of the group.'
For good measure, chefs Eliezer Mizrahi and Asaf Seri - called the balds (along with their spirit, of course) are exactly the chefs every young cook should dream of being.
Two who understand food, raw materials, service, management, teamwork and what culinary essence is.
They are also the great ambition of the entire industry, because they are the ones who make it the real thing.
to this addictive, exciting and seductive industry.
Bar Mitzvah for Makhaniuda restaurant, photo: Yoni Rickner
"Each employee who joins works a very clear and very regular route with us.
Also the service personnel - menu trainings, wine and alcohol trainings - a total of eleven different trainings.
A cook with us knows that he will go through a course in our prep kitchen to get added value for the raw materials we work with.
To understand the essence of preparing everything in our kitchen, the time spent on it - this is in order not to take anything for granted.'
The intention is to keep this essence in all the group's activities - including the one that speaks a futuristic language and operates in-house restaurants for high-tech companies.
"Our high-tech restaurants are a different kind of challenge because we actually operate a restaurant for everything only for the same customer base every day" explains Ruham.
"Also in the sense of international action, we conduct ourselves in a brave partnership.
If I don't touch every day everything that happens in Paris for example, I'm all smooth.
We make sure to let each of our partners feel that they are partners in everything.
It was felt very much in the sincere excitement of all of us upon receiving the Michelin star in Paris.'
And about the future?
Even with the great desire to invest everything in what already exists and continue to establish the existing businesses of the group, there is a big chance that it does not know how to keep quiet about its preservation.
For now, all eyes are on the long-awaited opening in Berlin planned for this fall.
As always, there is something to look forward to.
And if you don't have the patience to wait until then, I can quietly tell you that sometime during September I was invited to cook a one-off meal with Chef Assaf Seri at "Tzemach", and the excitement is great!
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