Ron Ben-Israel
Encyclopedia
Ron Ben-Israel is the executive chef and owner of Ron Ben-Israel Cakes in New York City
. He is known for his wedding and special occasion cakes and for his detail in sugar paste flowers.
, New York and The Ritz-Carlton
and are a highlight of elaborate events at other premier New York hotels such as the St. Regis, the Pierre
, and the New York Palace
.
Modern Bride, Town & Country
, Martha Stewart Weddings
, In Style
, The New York Times
, and Vogue
have commissioned trendsetting cake designs. His most recent television appearances include Martha Stewart
, the Bravo Network, the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Food Network
, and the David Letterman Show. He now hosts a Food Network show called Sweet Genius.
in New York City
. He teaches each Classic Pastry Arts’ class and each Cake Techniques & Design class his approach to sugar paste.
in 1957, but has been in Manhattan
since his 30s. In 1996 he fell in love with baking.
Ben-Israel served as a Israel Defense Forces
soldier and as a successful professional dancer in modern dance
. As a dancer in Israel he joined a dance company
produced by the Rothschilds. Ron toured extensively with the dance company. In 1993 he retired from dancing start a new career in cooking
. Ron on this mom and dad said: "My mother was born in Vienna
and was rescued from the ghetto by American volunteers … [and later] put on a boat to Israel. My father lost most of his family in the Holocaust
. As a teenager he was in Auschwitz, and was released by American soldiers. They fell in love in Israel. They were both artists, and I was the first born."
Ben-Israel his early life said: "I was always involved with it because as a child I always baked with my mom and was interested in the magic of it. The action of baking was just fascinating and I had always felt comfortable in the kitchen. I had to retire at 36 from dancing and needed a new career. I had also gone to art school before that. I was doing many jobs: styling, dressing models in Bryant Park, photographing, catering, baking, and everything. It fell into place."
Ben-Israel on becoming a Sweet Genius said: "I had to eventually retire from dancing, and I wanted to stay in America
[where he had moved]. So I started doing temporary jobs. I always was comfortable in kitchen. People began asking me to make cakes for them. I was also designing some shop windows. One day, Martha Stewart
walked by the window at Mikimoto on Fifth Avenue and saw the cakes I had done. She called me because she was starting a wedding magazine. She invited me over to her famous house for breakfast. I saw the hydrangeas she had there, and said I could do hydrangeas in sugar. And that was it."
Ron give credit to his Israeli military training for his success, saying it gave him discipline and yet precision in his "fantastical works".
Ben-Israel is active member of City Harvest's Food Council a New York food rescue
organization. City Harvest safely retrieving edible food that would otherwise go to waste and distributing it to those in need.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He is known for his wedding and special occasion cakes and for his detail in sugar paste flowers.
Career
His confectionery pieces have been featured at the openings of the Mandarin OrientalMandarin Oriental
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , a member of the Jardine Matheson Group, is an international hotel investment and management group with luxury hotels, resorts and residences in Asia, Europe and the Americas...
, New York and The Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton is a brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 75 properties located in major cities and resorts in 24 countries worldwide...
and are a highlight of elaborate events at other premier New York hotels such as the St. Regis, the Pierre
The Pierre Hotel
The Pierre is a luxury hotel located at 2 East 61st Street at the intersection of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, facing Central Park. The hotel opened in 1930, and is currently owned by Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces of India...
, and the New York Palace
The New York Palace Hotel
The New York Palace blends the historic landmark Villard Mansion with a modern 55-story tower. Located at the center of Manhattan in Midtown at the corner of 50th Street and Madison Avenue, it is directly across the street from St Patrick's Cathedral, and a short walk from Rockefeller Center and...
.
Modern Bride, Town & Country
Town & Country (magazine)
Town & Country, formerly the Home Journal and The National Press, is a monthly American lifestyle magazine. It is the oldest continually published general interest magazine in the United States.-Early history:...
, Martha Stewart Weddings
Martha Stewart Weddings
Martha Stewart Weddings is a weddings magazine published by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Martha Stewart Weddings was launched as an annual publication in 1994, and was expanded to quarterly in 1999. It is the second magazine title published by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and is primarily...
, In Style
In Style
InStyle is a monthly women’s fashion magazine published in the United States by Time Inc. Along with advertising, the magazine offers articles about beauty, fashion, home, entertaining, charitable endeavors and celebrity lifestyles. Launched in 1993 , InStyle currently has a circulation of 1.7...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
have commissioned trendsetting cake designs. His most recent television appearances include Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
, the Bravo Network, the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
, and the David Letterman Show. He now hosts a Food Network show called Sweet Genius.
The French Culinary Institute
Ben-Israel is a Visiting Master Pastry-Instructor at the French Culinary InstituteFrench Culinary Institute
The French Culinary Institute , also known as The International Culinary Center has locations in SoHo, New York City and in the San Francisco Bay Area of California....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He teaches each Classic Pastry Arts’ class and each Cake Techniques & Design class his approach to sugar paste.
Personal life
Ben-Israel was born in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1957, but has been in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
since his 30s. In 1996 he fell in love with baking.
Ben-Israel served as a Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
soldier and as a successful professional dancer in modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
. As a dancer in Israel he joined a dance company
Dance company
A dance troupe or dance company is a group of dancers and associated personnel who work together to perform dances as a spectacle or entertainment.-Members:*Artistic Director*Choreographers*Dancers*Board of Directors*Education administrator...
produced by the Rothschilds. Ron toured extensively with the dance company. In 1993 he retired from dancing start a new career in cooking
Cooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
. Ron on this mom and dad said: "My mother was born in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and was rescued from the ghetto by American volunteers … [and later] put on a boat to Israel. My father lost most of his family in the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. As a teenager he was in Auschwitz, and was released by American soldiers. They fell in love in Israel. They were both artists, and I was the first born."
Ben-Israel his early life said: "I was always involved with it because as a child I always baked with my mom and was interested in the magic of it. The action of baking was just fascinating and I had always felt comfortable in the kitchen. I had to retire at 36 from dancing and needed a new career. I had also gone to art school before that. I was doing many jobs: styling, dressing models in Bryant Park, photographing, catering, baking, and everything. It fell into place."
Ben-Israel on becoming a Sweet Genius said: "I had to eventually retire from dancing, and I wanted to stay in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
[where he had moved]. So I started doing temporary jobs. I always was comfortable in kitchen. People began asking me to make cakes for them. I was also designing some shop windows. One day, Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
walked by the window at Mikimoto on Fifth Avenue and saw the cakes I had done. She called me because she was starting a wedding magazine. She invited me over to her famous house for breakfast. I saw the hydrangeas she had there, and said I could do hydrangeas in sugar. And that was it."
Ron give credit to his Israeli military training for his success, saying it gave him discipline and yet precision in his "fantastical works".
Ben-Israel is active member of City Harvest's Food Council a New York food rescue
Food rescue
Food rescue, also called food recovery, is the practice of safely retrieving edible food that would otherwise go to waste, and distributing it to those in need.The recovered food is edible, but often not saleable...
organization. City Harvest safely retrieving edible food that would otherwise go to waste and distributing it to those in need.
Quotes
- "'it's a happy profession - when you're doing something you love and you're being paid to do that...' He pauses and changes tangents, '...but if you think you're good, you're in trouble.'