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Somewhere,
sometime in 2007 David Cohen GM of The David Intercontinental Tel
Aviv had come for dinner to Cafe Spice Namaste in London with some of
his relatives whom we knew.
He
then asked if I was willing to do a small Indian Food Festival in
his hotel at some stage and as I would normally, I said yes!
Eventually
the topic picked up momentum and things were being discussed quite
seriously and towards the end of the year dates were being fixed for
a March 2008 hit.
What
had looked sure to fail eventually materialised and on 23rd March,
Mehboob (one of our chefs) and I left for Tel Aviv amid much
apprehension and the feeling of going towards the unknown.
I
knew that security at Tel Aviv would be tough and that Mehboob,
being a Muslim could face some serious questioning and that soon
became a reality and we were in Immigration for over two hours whilst
the Hotel Car waited patiently outside for us.
The
planning prior to us leaving was an exchange of some hundred odd e
mails and I was still quite apprehensive and uncertain about the
whole thing, what with Rabbis and Kosher cooking and the uncertainty
of not knowing if the right spices etc would be available, and
knowing that I could not carry much due to the Kosher angle added to
my fears.
In
the past I have been very badly let down when I have been
globetrotting for cookery demos, dinners etc . and have learnt never
to expect a clean run through. Mehboob on the other hand, poor bloke,
was being traumatised by all his relatives, family and friends that
he would surely be killed in Israel and he was rather silent.
Anyway
the ride to the hotel was now during peak hour traffic and we had a
slow ride in.................However my worst fears were by then over
without me knowing it.
The
team including David were awaiting us and the reception we received
was been the best of the best I have ever had and the chef
accompanying me was also so well treated unlike my previous
experience at the Four Seasons in Bangkok two years ago.
We
were made totally comfortable, and canapés etc were lined up
and presented and in all my excitement I forgot my serious allergy to
aubergine and not realising that aubergine is served with everything
in Israel I digested some before I realised that I was eating the
stuff......................Hoping for the very best was not enough
and even after my anti-histamine ingestion I broke out into a rash
all over my arms that lasted right through the ten days making me
look like some sick lout!
Into
the kitchen the following morning I handed my pack of powders to
Alfred the Exec. Chef and we awaited the arrival of the Senior Rabbi
to ascertain what I could and what I could not use. To cut the long
story short we could only not use three of the ingredients I had
taken so all seemed good. I was also given a brief that, as non-Jews
in the kitchen we could not light any fire, we could not use any
grain, pulses, rice without the Rabbi first being called etc etc. All
Hotels in Israel follow a strict Kosher Code and one needs to know that.
On
my very first day of course true to my nature I made a cup of tea
and was just about to enter the kitchen when The Rabbi caught hold of
me and asked what I was doing..........TEA I said ! With milk he
asked ? Yes! I said! Sorry no drink here..............this kitchen is
Kosher no milk allowed inside. That made me want to fall through the
ground ; no TEA, my one vice being refused? However we found a way
around it and I was shown a spot where I could park my cup, keep it
covered and come out of the kitchen and take sips and go back to the
cooking........It worked. All three resident Rabbi's eventually
became very friendly and began to trust me which was a great feeling
Now
just to cut this drama short what did we see and learn and find!!
FABULOUS
PEOPLE
FABULOUS
CITY
VERY
MODERN
THE
WOMEN ARE WOW! I HAVE A SERIOUS NECK ACHE SINCE
QUALITY
OF RAW MATERIALS SUPERB EXCEPT FOR THE MEATS AS THE KOSHERISING OF
THEM TAKES AWAY ALL THE JUICES
FISH
QUALITY VERY VERY GOOD
RESTAURANTS
IN THE CITY SUPERB
WALKING
THE STREETS..........COULD NOT HAVE FELT SAFER ANYWHERE
ELSE...........WE LIVE IN DANGEROUS BRITAIN THERE NO FEAR
90%
OF ALL PEOPLE WE MET SPOKE DECENT AND SOME VERY GOOD ENGLISH
THE
RECOGNITION WE WERE GIVEN....................CANNOT HAVE EXPECTED
ANY BETTER
STAFF
CO-OPERATION INT HE HOTEL.....UNIMAGINABLE
EXECUTIVES
IN THE HOTEL MARVELLOUS
THE
SHOUK OR LOCAL MARKET and the one closest to the hotel CARMEN SHOUK
A CHEFS DREAM
VERY
SURRPRISED TO SEE BUTCHER SELLING ALL PORK PRODUCTS
LEEKS
THREE FEET LONG, CLEAN AND SPICY
EVERYTHING
WAS SUPERB AS WE ARE USED TO SEEING BACK IN INDIA
BEST
IS FRESH POMEGRANATE JUICE SQUEEZED IN YOUR
PRESENCE.............PLASTIC TUMBLER 50P
WINES
IN ISRAEL VERY GOOD AND GETTING BETTER
NIGHT
LIFE ENVIABLE I THINK AND RESTAURANTS ARE BUZZING TILL THE WEE HOURS
OUR
EVENT
MASSIVELY
SUCCESSFUL FOR THE HOTEL AND DAVID
VERY
GOOD PRESS
GREAT
SLOT ON BREAKFAST TV PRIME TIME AND FUNNILY IN THE CITY PEOPLE BEGAN
TO SAY SHALOM TO ME AFTER THE PROGRAMME
LOTS
OF LOCAL INTEREST
MENU
VERY WELL RECEIVED
I
HAD A FEW MISGIVINGS AND ISSUES BUT THAT'S ME ...............SADLY
THE PERFECTIONIST IN ME SUFFERED AT TIMES BUT GOT OVER IT EVENTUALLY
AS I REALISED THAT TOTAL NOVICES WERE HANDLING MY FOOD. BUT THE STAFF
VERY VERY HARDWORKING AND ALL GOOD AT HEART AND MOST HELPFUL AND
EAGER TO LEARN.
What
an experience. What a great city Jerusalem is and the Old City has a
charm and power all its own. Saw much like here and India that
everyone lives and works in peace and harmony. Guess when the
politicians want some excitement they ruffle feathers.
The
Dead Sea was an experience and even though I had water in my eyes as
I lost my balance once in the water as it forced me up the feeling
was great, the freshness fabulous and the hard work and toil &
fatigue of the eight days of work prior to that washed away.
Of
course the saga for Mehboob when leaving Israel was another story
but my photograph in Israels largest Hebrew Newspaper saved the day
and he was released and trusted..............the best part BA who co-sponsored
the trip up-graded us to first class and so it was the perfect
climax to a perfectly FIRST CLASS TRIP ALL IN ALL.
As
for me, I cannot wait to take Pervin and the boys to Tel Aviv for a
holiday and if ever asked to go again my answer will be without any
hesitation, even though we worked hard and it was very tough
initially. I shall have no qualms about every wanting to go back
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