Eyal Shani is doing what Eyal Shani does best: turning food into theater.
The Israeli celebrity chef stirred up social media over the weekend after footage from the launch of his new kosher Malka restaurant in Beverly Hills showed him spreading hummus across an enormous tray with his bare hands.
In the video, Shani works the hummus in wide circular motions without using a spoon or other kitchen utensil. When he finishes spreading it, he seasons it with a garlic-lemon sauce, again using his hands. The performance took place during launch events ahead of the restaurant’s official opening, as guests around him cheered, applauded and filmed.
The clip drew tens of thousands of views and quickly triggered a wave of criticism.
“This is disgusting,” one commenter wrote. Others asked why he had his “hands inside the food,” said the video made them not want to eat there and questioned what bacteria might be on his hands.
“It’s like stirring soup with your hand,” one wrote. Another added: “There’s an invention called a spoon.”
Some commenters even compared the restaurant to street-food stalls in India, with one claiming that “in India they show more respect.”
But plenty of viewers defended the chef. They argued that cooks handle food with their hands constantly, only diners usually do not see it because it happens inside the kitchen.
Supporters said a chef’s hands are working tools and that bare-handed food preparation is acceptable as long as proper handwashing and hygiene are maintained. Others noted that gloves are not sterile either and can accumulate contamination just as bare hands do, while giving diners a false sense of security.
Shani is well known for the showmanship surrounding his restaurants in Israel and abroad. He often cooks in front of diners, feeds guests by hand and creates an almost theatrical atmosphere around the food.
Over the years, he has developed a culinary language and style of hospitality built around unconventional presentation, including serving food directly on paper or placing piles of salt on the table without a container.
Malka is the group’s first restaurant on the U.S. West Coast. Even before opening, it attracted attention from Los Angeles media and local food publications.
The kosher restaurant is located inside the SIXTY hotel near Rodeo Drive, putting it in one of Beverly Hills’ most high-profile dining and entertainment districts.
In an interview with local media ahead of the opening, Shani said he planned to tour Los Angeles markets and then build an intuitive menu within 72 hours based on what he found.
The menu includes schnitzel, fried eggplant and, of course, hummus.