Assaf Granit
 

"I was born and raised in Jerusalem and I always loved the city. She is my inspiration. Following my grandmother and exploring the different tastes and aromas of the Jerusalem’s streets — from the stalls in the markets to her frying pan. My grandmother's story is one that tells of the heritage of my cooking: my grandma Lea was born in Poland where, like me, she learned to cook from her grandmother. The food she cooked came from the eastern European shtetl. This is where our ancestors lived, loved, worked, and prayed. When she came to Jerusalem she found herself in an entirely new world. Her neighbors came from all over the world and, like herself, received all of their early culinary education from their grandmothers. like her. This is what is so special about the city of Jerusalem. It is the center of the world and it draws people from all backgrounds and walks of life. While my grandmother was cooking she was also constantly talking with her neighbors through the windows; the woman next door was born in Morocco and taught her how to use saffron. A woman down the street came from Yemen and she taught her how to make Malawah. I had always wanted to open my own restaurant, a place that would reflect the secrets of my grandmother and the culinary secrets of Jerusalem, and together with my best friend and fellow chef, Uri Navon, we have made this dream come true. Whether in Jerusalem's Machneyuda or London's Coal Office or Paris's Shabour and Balagan, each and every of my 13 restaurants have their own personality and story, yet they share this amazing encounter between the streets of Jerusalem and of the experiences and lessons I learned"