One of the World’s Most Acclaimed Chefs Speaks Out in Defense of Israel

By Liran Shabtai

The world of fine dining in Paris is usually built on a very predictable career path: chefs who start peeling potatoes at 16, train in strict institutions like Le Cordon Bleu, work under demanding Michelin-starred chefs, and by their thirties open a restaurant of their own. Bruno Verjus is perhaps the brightest anomaly to that rule. The chef behind Table, is a fascinating oddball in the global culinary scene, and is currently emerging as one of the leading contenders to be named the best restaurant in the world.

The story of Verjus is anything but conventional. Most of his professional life was actually spent in medicine and pharmaceuticals. He was a successful businessman and entrepreneur in the pharma industry, splitting his time between board meetings and flights around the world, particularly to Asia. His love for food remained merely a hobby for years. Then, at 54, he decided to leave everything behind and open Table. “I opened the restaurant 13 years ago when I was 54. A midlife crisis? Maybe” he says in an interview.

Without formal culinary training, but with a deep understanding of ingredients gained from years spent visiting farmers, breeders, and fishermen, Verjus built a restaurant that puts raw ingredients center stage, literally. The restaurant is designed as one long wave-shaped counter where diners sit facing the open kitchen, watching the cooks work like a culinary theater performance. There are no overly complicated molecular techniques or exaggerated plating styles here. “My philosophy is that every dish and every story you want to tell should come from something you genuinely want to eat and share with the people you love”, he says.

His late-life gamble paid off in a massive way. The global restaurant industry, usually skeptical of outsiders, had no choice but to bow down: Table now holds two prestigious Michelin stars. In addition, Verjus’ uncompromising commitment to sustainability, seasonal ingredients, and direct work with small producers also earned him Michelin’s coveted Green Star.

The recognition did not stop in France. In the latest “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” ranking, Table placed 8th in the world, and this year many in the culinary industry see Verjus as a serious contender for the number one spot. “I’m not excited, I don’t care”, he says. “I’m definitely going to be number one”.

Naturally, the experience comes with a price tag that reflects its status. Verjus’ tasting menu, called “Couleurs du Jour” (“Colors of the Day”), changes daily according to the catch from the fishermen and produce from the farmers he works with, and currently costs around €500 per diner without alcohol. It is an entry ticket into a world where blue lobster, rare truffles, and carefully aged meats are served at the peak of their natural glory, accompanied by one of the most extensive wine lists in Paris.

But what makes Verjus unique is not just what appears on the plate, or his unconventional résumé. At a time when public figures, especially international chefs competing for global prestige, avoid political statements or, worse, align themselves with the anti-Israel atmosphere prevailing across many European capitals, Verjus has chosen differently. He neither hides nor apologizes.

Verjus has become a prominent voice openly supporting Israel. He expresses those views publicly without fear of boycotts or criticism from colleagues, displaying a moral backbone that has become exceedingly rare in today’s European mainstream.

“I’ve visited Israel several times. You are amazing people because you have something we all need to learn – that life can be very short, so you have to enjoy every moment. And when you’re in Tel Aviv, that’s exactly what you feel”, he says.

“It’s terrible that people are so critical of Israel. If something like this happened to us in France – if hundreds or thousands of people were murdered and kidnapped – would we simply say, ‘Okay, thank you and sorry’? No. What happened with Hamas was not your choice. You are the victim”.

Bruno Verjus has proven that it is possible to break every traditional rule of French cuisine: to start late, skip formal education, serve food that looks simple but tastes extraordinary, and speak honestly without filters. Now, the only remaining question is whether Paris’ “eccentric outsider” will soon officially become the best chef in the world.

“It’s a real source of pride that Table is at the top of the global 50 Best ranking and a personal favorite for many, thanks to seafood dishes that stretch the limits of imagination and a truly one-of-a-kind wine program” says Roy Yerushalmi, editor of the website Rex.

“The personal story of chef Bruno Verjus, a journalist who became a Michelin-decorated chef, is an enormous inspiration. The fact that he is the culinary world’s most prominent Jewish and pro-Israel voice, despite the price that comes with taking such a firm stance, deserves the utmost respect”, he adds.