Michelin-starred chef Gal Ben Moshe will step down at the end of the month as head chef of Pastel in Tel Aviv, ending a four-year run that also saw him balance projects abroad. The move was agreed jointly with the restaurant’s owners, and Ben Moshe will now focus on new projects in Prague. About six months ago, the outlet reported that he had closed his Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin, making this his first chapter in Tel Aviv to conclude.
During his four years at Pastel, Ben Moshe shaped the restaurant’s kitchen with a distinctive style centered on local ingredients and high-end culinary techniques. His successor will be chef Tedi Kagan, who will become the main chef of both Pastel and its sister restaurant, Grace. Kagan previously served as Pastel’s operational chef and was a key figure in developing the restaurant’s culinary language. The transition is being presented as a natural continuation from within the restaurant.
Kagan is due to take over as Pastel prepares to launch a new menu that reflects the kitchen’s ongoing evolution. Grace will continue operating as a hybrid space for culinary talent, collaborations, and special projects.
Pastel owner Itzik Hangel thanked Ben Moshe for what he called much more than a chef-owner relationship. “Gal was much more than a chef for us, he was a mentor,” Hangel said, adding that Ben Moshe helped train a new generation of staff, gave them tools, confidence, and creative freedom, and maintained a high standard even in difficult periods. Ben Moshe said he was grateful for Hangel’s trust and creative freedom, called the years at Pastel professionally and personally meaningful, and said he is leaving with a sense of satisfaction and confidence that the restaurant is in good hands.
