Israeli Chef Ruthie Russo Brings the Flavours of Israel to Bengaluru

Renowned Israeli chef, author and culinary ambassador Ruthie Russo brought the flavours of Israel to Bengaluru during a curated week of culinary experiences initiated by the Israeli Consulate in Bengaluru, in collaboration with the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT), Aura Greens (Hosur) and Vandey, an Israeli company operating in Bengaluru.

The program combined gastronomy, agricultural innovation and cross-cultural dialogue- highlighting the freshness, diversity and creativity that define contemporary Israeli cuisine.

A judge on MasterChef Israel and one of the leading voices in Israel’s modern food scene, Chef Russo connects food with identity, land and community. In Bengaluru, that philosophy translated into two distinct experiences- one elegant and urban, the other rooted in the soil.

Mediterranean Soul Meets Bengaluru Terroir

At the heart of the visit was an exclusive showcase dinner at Conrad Bengaluru, held in partnership with the Israeli Consulate in Bengaluru and attended by senior representatives from the Israeli and Indian ecosystems, including Consul General Orli Weitzman, alongside business leaders and policy stakeholders.

Titled “Mediterranean Soul Meets Bengaluru Terroir,” the menu created a dialogue between Israeli culinary tradition and locally sourced Indian ingredients. The evening opened with a smoked cherry tomato and peach gazpacho, followed by an inventive pani puri fish tartare. Freshly baked challah and za’atar pitas anchored a vibrant mezze spread, while a live musabaha station- warm, hand-crushed chickpeas with tahini, garlic and lemon- became a highlight of the shared table.

Main courses balanced innovation and tradition, including a plant-based Redefine Meat “steak” and slow-roasted lamb over freekeh maqluba, before desserts that combined Mediterranean warmth with Indian fragrance.

From Greenhouse to Table: The Farm Experience

At Aura Greens in Hosur, Chef Russo led a farm-based culinary experience built entirely around produce grown on-site using advanced Israeli greenhouse and irrigation technologies.

A curated “Tomato Gallery” celebrated multiple varieties harvested from the farm, alongside crisp garden salads, harissa-glazed local carrots and warm hand-crushed hummus. The meal concluded with seasonal tropical fruits- underscoring a shared appreciation in both cultures for food grown in the soil and served with minimal intervention.

The visit also demonstrated how Israeli agricultural technology is being successfully implemented on Indian soil, producing premium, sustainable vegetables with a vision to scale similar farm models nationwide.

Chef Ruthie Russo said, “During my visit to India, I felt I was eating real food- ingredients grown in the land and treated with respect. In Israel, we share that same instinct. I often say that food is a mirror- it reflects the people around it. When you eat real food, you are usually surrounded by real people, and that is why I immediately felt at home here.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a dish is worth a thousand pictures. Through the plate, I understood more deeply the special friendship between Israel and India- because it works on the plate just as it works in the heart.”

Galit Hoffman, Consul- Tourism Affairs, India, Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT), said, “Israel today is one of the most dynamic culinary arenas in the world- rich in flavours, shaped by global influences and driven by constant creativity. Tel Aviv is widely regarded as a global capital of vegan cuisine, making Israel especially relevant for Indian audiences who value plant-based food traditions. Combined with cutting-edge agricultural innovation that continually transforms what we grow and how we cook, Israel’s food scene is both surprising and inspiring. And of course, cuisine is just one of the many vibrant experiences Israel offers to Indian travellers.”