Chef Tomer Tal honed his skills under the mentorship of two of Israel’s finest chefs, Yonatan Roshfeld and Haim Cohen. Drawing inspiration from both traditional and modern cooking techniques, Tal has crafted his own innovative cuisine at George & John, his inaugural restaurant where he offers a contemporary twist on local Mediterranean fare, dishes from his family’s heritage, various Jewish diasporas, and Jaffa’s rich culinary tradition. Tal’s creations reflect a penchant for smoky and charred flavors and deliver a spectrum of tastes from the familiar to the unexpected that seamlessly intertwines the old and the new.

Raw fish with apples. photo by: Noam Preisman

Nestled in the sophisticated Drisco Hotel in the American-German colony in Jaffa, this gastronomic gem is housed in a meticulously preserved building dating back to 1866. Notably, in 2023, George & John secured the sixth spot in San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants for the Middle East and North Africa, earning the title of the highest-ranked Israeli restaurant in the prestigious guide for the year.

“Tomer Tal’s culinary style mirrors the diversity of new Israeli cuisine; it’s not confined to just ‘baladi’ but encompasses Jaffa-style and seasonal cooking, and offers the sophistication of fine dining,” remarks Erez Komarovsky. “His ability to juggle between various culinary languages so creatively is very impressive. Equally noteworthy is his mastery of smoking techniques — a ‘secret’ ingredient lending his dishes the characteristic charred aroma synonymous with the Israeli palate.”