Assaf Granit: "I Don’t Sit Around Offering People Jobs"

Interview with Assaf Granit / Maor Ben Harush

The well-known chef Assaf Granit has been making plenty of headlines lately, especially after his ex, Anna Aronov, accused him of arriving with one of his employees at the wine bar she runs with her husband, Eyal, and trying to poach her worker, an accusation similar to one made earlier by Ruti Brodo. This morning, Thursday, the famous chef arrived on the set for the new campaign of the olive oil and Galilee products brand “Saba Habib,” as part of a new collaboration that launched a product line bearing Granit’s signature. In an interview with Walla Celebs on set, he reveals what really happened in that incident, and also what happened with his colleague Yossi Shitrit. Watch the full interview at the top of the article.

Assaf Granit / Johnny Shchok

Set the record straight for us. What happened with Yossi Shitrit?

“Yossi called me, in a very, very excited and friendly way, to tell me he was moving to MasterChef. And he was afraid of my reaction, because we are very good friends. And we have done the show together for many years.”

“I told him, I didn’t understand. ‘What are you afraid of? You know, it’s a TV show. And there is life that goes on during the day. On television we won’t be together anymore. In life we’ll remain friends.’ Then he breathed a sigh of relief and said to me, ‘I’m glad you’re reacting like this.’ And I told him, ‘Our friendship, nothing can shake it, don’t worry. I wish you success and I’m happy for you and proud of you, go for it.’ We finished the conversation, I asked to send him a bouquet of flowers, because my son also really likes him and his son, too, we’re close friends.”

“He put it on his story. I was in the middle of a workout, I saw it and I told him to take it down, I said, ‘Yossi, take it down because this is your private moment and mine. There’s no need for everyone to see it.’ He said to me, ‘You’re right,’ and took it down.”

Wasn’t this some kind of Reshet versus Keshet thing?

“No, this was ours. It was purely private.”

Maybe you were afraid it would cause some kind of damage?

“I don’t think it bothers anyone at Keshet that I’m congratulating Yossi. I don’t think it would bother Reshet either. No one at Reshet will be upset that I am a human being. And that I behave like a human being and like a friend. I don’t think anyone, not even the new and amazing ownership of Reshet, will be bothered that this is how I behave. What will be expected of me is next season, first, to find the right chef to replace him, to go all out, to make an amazing season. That is what I intend to do.”

But weren’t you really disappointed that he’s leaving? And to the competition?

“No. I was only disappointed because I won’t have time with him behind the scenes, we always work out, there’s a gym in the studio, I drag him with me during breaks, and we have our laughs, and as I said to him, we won’t have that in the studio, we’ll have it in life.”

Well, that’s a mini-drama, thank God, you have plenty in your life.

“Not even a drama, not even a mini one, not even a shred, no drama at all, quite the opposite, support and a lot of love. And I also say, come on, everyone knows this is a competitive world, it really is a competition, the competition is a professional one, not a personal one. There are two shows competing against each other, each side has its role in making the best show possible, and I am now, in the race, together with all the very serious people at Reshet, to make the best show possible, and I’m telling you, we are preparing a real surprise.”

They say chefs have huge egos, and whichever show is more successful.

“So now is the time, and as they say, to get into the kitchen and work, it’s time to get into the studio and work.”

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Assaf Granit / Johnny Shchok

Speaking of the kitchen, let’s talk about another saga that happened, with Anna Aronov. Set the record straight for us, did you try to poach someone or not?

“I opened a new events venue in South Tel Aviv, in a beautiful place that we turned into an events complex, and I need workers, I admit it, I need workers, first of all, that’s the first thing, let that be clear. Second, specifically for that event, I had a meeting with a colleague I work with from Wix, and he asked to meet at some place I didn’t know, and we met there, because it was convenient for him and near where he was, and there was parking. We talked, had the meeting, it was very nice, my partner, Tomer, who was with me, and the colleague even ate, I didn’t eat, but it was really fun and nice, and great service, it’s a beautiful place, and they also found it very tasty.”

“And the meeting ended and the chef we had came out. It should be noted that the chef is a handsome guy, a good-looking guy. My partner, Tomer, who tends to like handsome guys, went out after him, stood with him outside, talked to him and wanted to hit on him. From there the event ended, we got into the car. Tomer said to me, ‘Wow, what a thing. How embarrassing. In the end Eyal showed up.’ I say to him, ‘What do you mean? Why embarrassing?’ Then he says to me, ‘That’s Anna’s husband.’ I say to him, ‘Oh, I didn’t know. Fine, why embarrassing? Great place, amazing.’ We hadn’t even reached Ayalon when I started getting blasts on Instagram. Then I understand that what happened was that Tomer tried to impress the guy, and the guy is straight, Tomer never had a chance, but he tried. And what came out of it, you already know.”

So why didn’t you respond?

“What do I have to say? It’s unnecessary.”

But do you think that, say, someone on your behalf wanted to take...

“Look, the result now is that everyone knows where Anna and Eyal’s bar is and everyone knows that I need chefs, so everyone is happy and everything is fine.”

Do you think there was some desire to do PR?

“I don’t know, I have no idea. No, I don’t think that was a move intended to generate PR. I think there was a misunderstanding there that really upset Anna and that’s why she reacted the way she did. I’m glad I could say what really happened. I don’t do that. I don’t sit in places and offer people jobs.”

Not even in Ruti Brodo’s restaurants?

“Not even in Ruti Brodo’s restaurants. I have a little too much to do to be wandering around Israel, sitting in places and offering people jobs. I run a very, very large organization. I’ve got a bit more on my plate than that. So give me a little credit that this is not my recruitment method.”

Assaf Granit / Johnny Shchok