Construction of the chef’s new home in a moshav in Emek Hefer began just over six months before October 7. “When the war broke out, the frame of the house was ready, and we were at the stage of marking plumbing and electrical work,” says Ron Shenkin, owner of the architecture and design studio responsible for the project.
“Like everyone, we went through a few days of total shock,” he recalls. “Then I was called up for reserve duty, and I disappeared from the office for three months. Work on site nearly stopped. The project supervisor, Omer Nahum, worked incredibly hard to find available workers—some contractors didn’t receive entry permits to Israel, while others were also called up.”
Slowly, the project came back to life. “It was the same in the entire construction industry,” says Shinkin. “The architect from my office, Doron Ben-David, managed the project on the ground, overseeing design choices and construction. The homeowners were patient, supportive, and incredibly understanding. They would sometimes send me photos from the site so I could give input on color choices while sitting in my army jeep in Khan Younis.”
When the work was finally done, the chef—who asked to remain anonymous—cooked a memorable dinner for the team to mark the home’s completion.
A family home with views of open fields
The 800-square-meter plot belongs to the homeowner’s family, near where he grew up. For years, he and his wife, parents of two, dreamed of building there and saved until they could afford a 209-square-meter house that, as Shinkin says, “looks like it was built on a large budget—but it wasn’t.”
To the west, the property faces open fields. “The view and fresh air left me no choice but to orient the house westward,” says Shinkin. “It’s a challenging direction that required extensive shading solutions.”
A paved path leads to the entrance, ending in a covered outdoor foyer shaded by a pergola. There, a shoe cabinet was built flush with the exterior wall. “We placed the shoe cabinet outside, under the pergola for rain protection, and across from a bench for putting on shoes,” Shinkin explains. “The family has an unbelievable number of shoes—they mentioned it often during our planning meetings.”
Open, airy, and full of light
The front door opens directly to a large glass wall facing a patio with an oak tree, giving the impression of stepping outdoors again as soon as you enter. Pale 120-by-120 cm tiles extend from the exterior foyer throughout the house, including the bathrooms and patio, strengthening the connection between indoors and outdoors.
The house is divided into three rectangular sections, each serving a different function, connected by a wide hallway open to the surrounding garden. The right wing contains the main living space, which opens to the front yard through a floor-to-ceiling glass façade over 12 meters long.
“We wanted the most minimal glass possible, but still within a reasonable budget,” Shinkin says. “We worked with the Israeli company Kochav Aluminum, which provided hidden tracks and retractable screens that disappear into the walls—important, since the family has cats that would have ruined fixed screens quickly.”
A chef’s kitchen — inside and out
To the right sits the kitchen, L-shaped with a central island. Above the counter runs a long window that lets in light and a view of the front door. The window is interrupted by an extra-large custom exhaust hood designed by a metal craftsman who usually builds restaurant ventilation systems.
Six people can sit around the island, where most family meals take place. Three custom pendant lamps hang above it, designed in collaboration with lighting designer Eran Klein, who also created the home’s recessed fixtures. The ceiling, made of warm-toned wood, extends from the pergola outdoors to maintain continuity while preserving the homeowner’s request for a light, uncluttered palette.
Facing the kitchen is a bright living room with a large L-shaped sofa custom-built for maximum seating and comfort. The coffee tables echo the kitchen’s marble and are supported by black steel legs. The television, mounted on a movable arm in the corner, can be tucked aside to keep the view unobstructed.
Outside, the patio continues the interior’s clean lines with an outdoor living area, a large oak dining table custom-made by a carpenter and metalworker, and a professional-grade outdoor kitchen built in two sections—one for cooking and grilling, the other for entertaining. A raw concrete wall provides privacy from the entrance path, while a long swimming pool runs perpendicular to the house, leaving room for a lawn. “This placement also creates a beautiful reflection of the house,” says Shinkin.
Separate wings for parents and kids
To the left of the entrance, a wide hallway leads to another patio planted with a pomegranate tree. “We selected the trees very early in the process,” Shinkin notes.
Beyond it, two rectangular wings make up the rest of the house. The children’s section includes two suites—one for a 15-year-old boy and one for a 12-year-old girl—each with a private bathroom and balcony.
The parents’ wing, on the opposite side, includes a guest bathroom, laundry room, and the master suite. The couple’s bedroom features a custom-designed bed with a curved dark-wood headboard matching the ceiling and built-in wardrobe. Their spacious en suite bathroom was one of the homeowner’s key requests.
Next to it, the safe room (mamad) also serves as a walk-in closet. “That’s something worth reconsidering after October 7,” says Shinkin. “Maybe it’s better to keep less storage there and leave more space for safety.”
