Celebrity chef and restaurateur Reena Pushkarna, founder of the Tandoori restaurant chain in Israel and Chairperson of the Israel Chapter of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), has spoken warmly about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as someone who has retained his humility despite reaching the highest office in India. Speaking from Tel Aviv on 4 July, Pushkarna recalled cooking for Modi during his official visit to Israel and reflected on more than four decades of building Indian cuisine's presence in the country.

A Long Association with PM Modi

Pushkarna said she first encountered Narendra Modi when he visited Israel as Gujarat Chief Minister for an agritech engagement, well before his rise to national prominence. She noted that his character had not changed in the intervening years. 'Even though today Modi ji is the Prime Minister, he still remains the same simple personality who, if he knows you by name, he knows you by name forever,' she said.

When Modi later visited Israel as Prime Minister, Pushkarna's team catered for his tightly scheduled programme. She described his food preferences as a reflection of his simplicity — a vegetarian diet built around traditional Indian flavours and masala chai.

Four Decades of Indian Cuisine in Israel

Pushkarna arrived in Israel more than four decades ago and set about introducing Indian food to an audience largely unfamiliar with it. Her initial focus on vegetarian Indian cuisine did not gain immediate traction, given Israeli food habits that lean heavily towards meat-based dishes. 'First, it was vegetarian Indian cuisine, which did not really take off well with the Israelis, as they are more meat eaters. A year later, I opened Tandoori and haven't looked back,' she said.

That pivot proved decisive. The Tandoori chain grew into one of the most recognised Indian restaurant brands in Israel. Early dishes such as chicken tikka and chicken Kasturi — initially offered as complimentary items to encourage hesitant diners — helped build acceptance over time. 'A whole generation grew up on my chicken tikka and my chicken Kasturi,' she recalled.

Pushkarna also adapted recipes to comply with kosher regulations, which prohibit mixing meat and dairy. That cultural accommodation led her to open Kohinoor in Jerusalem in 1991, which she described as the world's first Indian kosher restaurant.

Business Under Pressure: Covid and Conflict

The growth of Pushkarna's restaurant empire has not been without serious disruption. The Covid-19 pandemic delivered the first major blow, followed by a prolonged regional conflict that has strained Israel's hospitality sector for nearly three years. Several outlets have had to be shut, and sourcing skilled labour from India has become increasingly difficult.

'I had a chain of restaurants all over, but because of Covid and because of the war situation in this country for nearly the last three years, we've had to close a few branches. That tells you about doing business in Israel. You've got to be ready for all the ups and downs,' she said.

The Kohinoor restaurant in Jerusalem was also a casualty of the collapse in tourism, closing after the pandemic and the subsequent slow recovery amid continued regional instability.

The Oslo Connection: When Diplomacy Met Curry

Among the most striking disclosures in Pushkarna's account is the role her Tel Aviv restaurant reportedly played in the early stages of the Oslo peace process. She said that meetings involving Norwegian, Israeli and Palestinian representatives — later linked to the Oslo Accords — were held at her Tandoori restaurant, though the significance only became clear to her after the fact.

When television broadcasts of the historic Rabin-Arafat handshake at the White House were followed by footage of her restaurant, newspapers reportedly carried a headline that read: 'Peace talks heat up over hot curry.' Pushkarna said the episode captures the unexpected intersections of food, diplomacy and history, and suggested it could, perhaps, happen again.

Tourism, Netanyahu and Hopes for Regional Peace

Pushkarna noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's family is fond of Indian cuisine, with dishes such as chicken tikka, tikka masala and pilaf rice (without coriander) among their preferences. She described a consistent sense of mutual respect between Modi and Netanyahu, rooted in both diplomatic ties and cultural familiarity.

Looking ahead, she expressed hope that PM Modi could play a constructive role in promoting peace in the region, given his relationships with leaders across the Middle East. On tourism — the lifeblood of her business — she remained cautiously optimistic. 'If the ceasefire situation remains, tourists will be back because this is a beautiful country. There's a lot of history here, and there's a lot to see in this country,' she said.

For Pushkarna, the future of Indian cuisine in Israel, and of the India-Israel cultural relationship more broadly, remains tied to the return of stability — a condition she believes is within reach.