By Harinder Mishra, JERUSALEM, (PTI):- Reena Pushkarna, arguably the most well-known Indian face in Israel, a celebrity chef, restaurateur and business entrepreneur, was mentioned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, for having played a key role in his personal life.

“I think our first or second date was at an Indian restaurant in Tel Aviv. Reena Pushkarna. And I have to tell you, there is no question, first of all, the food was unbelievable,” the Israeli prime minister said as his wife Sara was seen nodding.

“Sara was introduced to it for the first time, so it was a great first date. Not only because of the food, the date was excellent too. So, obviously, I’m indebted to you, as are my children,” he said.

Netanyahu was then an emerging figure in Israel politics.

The couple, who remain fond of Indian food, are said to have struck a rapport with Reena then and the friendship has endured all these years.

In 2017, during Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to Israel, the Israeli premier had also narrated the story and even asked Reena to prepare the meal at his residence for the “date with Modi”.

Humbled and overwhelmed by the recognition, Reena while talking to PTI said, “If it is seen as some sort of a culinary diplomacy strengthening India-Israel ties, I am very happy and pleased.”

The celebrity chef told PTI “that it all comes from the heart and the smile on people’s faces and some good words work as energisers”.

“India rules the heart and I see it as an honour to be able to take care of so many Indians, including Prime Minister Modi,” Reena said.

The Government of India in 2003 conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) to Reena.

The award had evoked a very warm response from the Indian Jewish community in Israel with congratulatory messages in the hundreds.

This is a sentiment one often comes across talking to people in Israel. Reena and her husband, Vinod, immigrated to Israel in 1983 when India and Israel did not even have full-fledged diplomatic relations.

The perfect hostess, as many here describe her, Reena has hosted the likes of Indian conductor of Western classical music Zubin Mehta, Italian actress Sophia Loren and Israel’s former prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres.

Her restaurant in Tel Aviv, ‘Tandoori’, was also the setting for some of the peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, facilitated by Norway in 1993.

Nissim Moses, historian of Indian Jewish Heritage & Bene Israel Genealogy Research, on a website of Indian Jews describes Reena as “enterprising, hardworking and dedicated person” who takes on challenges and makes “dreams convert to successful reality”.