Garnering the reputation as a national leader in foodservice and retail foods, Chef Einav Gefen joined Restaurant Associates in 2021 as Chef | Innovator supporting the company’s continued path of quality, innovation, growth, and purpose.
Gefen comes over from Unilever, where she began as Corporate Head Chef in 2008 and moved to Corporate Executive Chef in 2016. While there, she led a team of chefs charged with innovation development, product rejuvenation, consumer activations, and deployment of global projects.
Chef Einav’s career began as a Pastry Chef at Orna & Ella but soon after added the title of Sous Chef to her responsibilities at Mul-Yam in Tel Aviv, Israel. While there, Mul-Yam was awarded the top rating by Gault-Millau, one of the most influential French restaurant guides, and named the world’s 114th best restaurant by Les Grandes Tables du Monde.
An expert in world cuisines with an extensive understanding of ingredients and flavors, Gefen has traveled the world, growing and sharing her experiences. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump’s), she interned at New York’s renowned restaurant Daniel and was the Executive Chef at Danal in Manhattan’s East Village. In 2001, her work there gained the attention of Time Out Restaurant Guide 2001, where she received her first critic’s pick write-up.
Gefen is an accredited contributor to Art & Cook, published in November 2003, which received illustrious reviews as both a cookbook and an art collection. From 2003-2008 Chef Einav was an instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan—where she trained aspiring chefs in all aspects of cooking and presentation. In addition, Gefen has held a TED Talk and competed on the acclaimed Food Network’s “Chopped.”