Israeli chef Eyal Shani makes the case for the ‘most genius’ sandwich in the world

A selection of Miznon pitas. | Photo courtesy of Miznon.

Israeli chef and restaurateur Eyal Shani sees an awful lot in a pita sandwich.

On a plate, food is two dimensional and flat, he noted. The diner decides what bite to take. The steam and warmth evaporate to the ceiling.

But food encapsulated in a pita, that’s a completely different journey, Shani said.

A pita is like a womb. It is a translator of cultures. It accepts almost anything you put into it, he said.

“It’s vertical eating. Each bite has to be completely different from the other,” said Shani. “You have to trust me, as the pita creator, that I will make you a very interesting one. It’s about trust. It’s about blind eating. It’s about surprise.”

“It’s the most genius sandwich in the world,” said the chef.

Shani should know. His Tel Aviv-based Good People Group is growing the fast-casual pita concept across the U.S., and elsewhere.

There are currently  seven units in the U.S. Most are in New York, though there are outlets in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Another two Miznon locations are expected to open in the New York area before the end of the year, with four more coming in 2026. (A location in Dallas closed earlier this year.)

Miznon is just one of the growing number of brands Shani is known for around the world. He’s a celebrity chef in Israel, known for the TV show “Food for Thought” and Israel’s “Master Chef.”

His group operates some 60 restaurants globally, including the high-end Shmoné  and wine bar Shmoné Wine, Malka, HaSalon and Port Sa’id, most of which are in New York, but HaSalon also has outlets in Las Vegas and Miami.

This month, Shani is scheduled to open the new Italian concept Bella in Miami’s Liberty Park Hotel in collaboration with Think Hospitality. And another new concept—yet to be revealed—is in the works for Williamsburg Wharf in New York.

A Miznon outlet in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. |Photo courtesy of Miznon.

When asked about his growing portfolio of restaurants, Shani declined to give a unit count.

“We are not counting it because it would freeze our legs,” he said.

He is quick to point out the strength of his team. When new concepts open, Shani comes to spend a month or so with the operating chef, he said.

“I’m doing everything with him,” he said. “I’m talking to him, telling stories, going to the market with him, cooking with him, hypnotizing him. Then, after one month, in a way it’s like I adopt his mind to mine and copying my soul to his own soul. I hope he will look through my eyes through each step and each act he’s doing.”

Norwegian, Moroccan and Iraqi by heritage, Shani was born and raised in Israel and thinks in Hebrew, he said. Israeli cuisine is his “ground zero,” but he likes to play on the borders of cuisine and bring in local influences, particularly with Miznon.

“Miznon is a great translator of conscience,” he said. “If I’m coming to Paris, for example, I try to look at the atmosphere, the vibe, the energy, what dreams people are dreaming, and what they are dreaming without knowing. And what foods they are eating.”

On the menu in the U.S., for example, there are the expected more classic pitas, like lamb kebab, falafel or chicken schnitzel. But there’s also a Folded Cheeseburger Pita with cheddar, aioli, sour cream, tomato and pickles; and a Fish N Chips, with branzino, potatoes, pickles, aioli, parsley and vinegar.

There are plenty of options for non-meat eaters, like the spicy wild mushroom pita (“a whole forest burned on hot steel”) with scallions and sour cream. 

And, for a non-pita option, Miznon is known for its Original World Famous Whole Roasted Baby Cauliflower, which can be adorned with tahini or zhoug, if needed. There is also the “run-over potato,” baked and flattened to serve as a vehicle for toppings.

Shani thinks deeply about the empire he’s building. Creating restaurants is the hardest job in the world, he said. But he does it because it makes people happy.

And, by “people,” he doesn’t just mean guests, but the thousands who work with him and the community they have created.

“That is my way to touch people, and to improve something in their life,” he said. “I can make a small change or give them a little bit different and deeper perspective and a wider point of view.”

 

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Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts.

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