MEET THE CHEF: Gil Dahan of WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel
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5 Reasons to Visit® sat down with Executive Chef Gil Dahan of WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Executive Chef Gil Dahan of WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel
Where did you grow up, and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy?
I grew up in Israel, in a small Kahlati settlement called Tzur Yigal, surrounded by a lot of nature. As children we would pick a lot of what grew around us and eat, supplement and enjoy nature. Growing up like this contributed a lot to my understanding of the seasons and what they provide, so does the menu at Weiss, it changes every three months depending on the season. Belief in as much zero as possible and respect as much as possible the material of the wave and exhaust it to the fullest.
WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel
Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself.
I strongly believe in aesthetics, I think it mainly comes from the fact that I draw, so I also create the dishes, first as a drawing and then really work on the dish, it makes me understand much better how I want everything to be placed on the plate. I'm really addicted to music, it greatly affects my creative and thought process, from the moment my eyes open until the moment they close I surround myself with music, without genre restrictions, everything has to coordinate the atmosphere, on the day of tests for example there will be music with deep melodies and less Lyrica, during high-tempo preparations—I feel that the music is very nourishing and contributes both to the quality of the food we prepare and to the creative atmosphere at the insurance company.
Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already.
I think the food I can't resist is koba, my grandmother, who came to Israel from Iraq, would always make it for us, it's actually ground meat with fried onions and bharte, wrapped in semolina dough, a kind of dumpling like this, sitting in a tomato and zucchini soup, so comforting You can't stop eating.
WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel
What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without?
Garlic, butter and bread. Every recipe of mine will have garlic, I think it adds so much and is so versatile that you can do anything with it. Butter and bread are simply the main ingredients in my diet, there is no time to eat so I eat bread and butter, I can only live on this.
We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?
I love the moment when the taste and the look, in one perfect moment meet on the plate. There is a split second that you are simply filled with so many emotions, feelings and humility as soon as everything meets on the plate, this looks good and tasty it is simply exciting. I really like to see how the planning stage, when everything is raw, in one moment everything happens on the plate, it moves my heart.
WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel
Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?
It's really hard for me to choose, really all the dishes go through long thought processes and I try as much as possible to combine techniques, textures and flavors mainly to exhaust the raw material. I think that in my eyes the most creative dish at the moment is the sashimi dish on the current menu, we combined apricot kombucha that we saved from its short season in Israel, syrup from pine cones that we picked white and Tabasco fermented water with smoked raisins, a combination of flavors was created that is so interesting and so flattering to the fish that I think it is Definitely a dish worthy of the title of my most creative dish.
WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel
Share your most recent awards and accreditations with us!
We are a new restaurant, so we have not yet achieved very impressive results, in the meantime, I was up for “Promising Chef in Israel” last year and also the “Best New Restaurant,” the last achievement was to enter the list of the “30 Best Restaurants in Israel.”
What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing in top restaurants across the globe?
Definitely fermentation, use of koji and generally preservation. I think it is very important to preserve, it gives added value and another story to the menu, especially as it changes every season.
WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel
What’s your favorite cocktail or beverage of choice?
Negroni, without a doubt. A well done Negroni makes me smile.
What do you love about being the Executive Chef of WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel?
The thing I like the most about being the executive chef at Weiss, is hosting and preparing what's on my heart. I like that guests connect and understand me or the philosophy of the restaurant through the food, it brings satisfaction that even after 18 hours on your feet you smile, the dialogue created between you and the guest just because he eats your thoughts and the thoughts of the entire staff fills me.
WEISS Restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel
