Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, visited Naya restaurant in the Jerusalem hills Monday evening with an entourage of eight people, including Ron Dermer, the former strategic affairs minister and Israeli ambassador to the United States.
According to a restaurant employee, staff were notified of Kushner’s arrival only about half an hour before the group reached the restaurant, with arrangements coordinated through a Foreign Ministry official.
Kushner with his team at a Jerusalem restaurant
(Video: PR)
Kushner and his entourage were given the restaurant’s private room and the adjoining outdoor area. “The room is connected to the outdoor section of the restaurant, which leads to the area near the decorative pool,” the employee said. At first, members of the entourage asked that no other diners be seated in the area because it provides access to the private room, but they later agreed to allow the restaurant to continue seating guests there.
The American presence was also noticeable in the parking lot, where large U.S. vehicles and security personnel drew the attention of diners. Still, because Kushner and his entourage remained in the private room, most guests did not see him, though they noticed the unusual activity.
During the meal, Kushner gave an interview to Fox News. According to the employee, his main conversation during the visit was with Dermer, who met with him one-on-one. The group remained at the restaurant for dinner and talks before leaving shortly before the employee spoke about the visit.
Arrived with security guards and large vehicles
What was served? Kushner is not a sushi fan, so he ate from the other dishes brought to the table. The rest of the group received a selection of the restaurant’s specials, including sushi and raw fish. At the end of the meal, the employee said, Kushner thanked the staff and personally approached him to say he had greatly enjoyed the meal.
And the tip? When Kushner previously ate at Pronto restaurant in Tel Aviv, staff there said he had left a sizable tip.
“He was very generous,” the employee said. “He paid with his personal credit card and left a large tip, more than 35%.”
“He was very nice and spoke with everyone,” the employee said. “At the end of the day, this guy runs the world.”