4000 years, 80 cultures, decades of innovation.
Galilee Culinary Institute by the Jewish National Fund is a one-of-a-kind culinary institution that combines culinary and restaurant expertise, tourism and entrepreneurship. Based in the heart of Israel’s Galilee, a mountainous region and micro-climate where fertile lands, mountains, and rivers create an unparalleled location for a thriving agricultural region, GCI is a total-immersion culinary institution.
Where food and you come to life
At GCI, our Rosenfield School of culinary arts program allows students to acquire the rich language of culinary arts through hands-on experiences and connections with culinary entrepreneurs and food professionals across Israel and the globe.
Our state-of-the-art campus is a sprawling 25,000 square feet, and offers an immersive global environment and a wide array of culinary experiences, including participatory restaurant experiences, winemaking, and interacting with the fertile agriculture of the land.
Innovation Lies at the
Heart of GCI
Much of Israel’s culinary culture grows from its robust start-up scene; the Galilee’s start up scene has been growing exponentially. With this incredible access to technology, GCI is poised for its one-of-a-kind flexibility and a learning experience that leverages apps and innovation to lead the way in everything from agritech to foodtech.
Our campus will provide the opportunity for students and visitors alike to create bespoke interaction with our campus, utilizing our host of incredible facilities. From a state-of-the-art restaurant, bakery, and brewery, to an organic farm, wine tasting, and more. GCI is an inclusive kosher institution, bringing together cultures from all over the world while adapting to numerous dietary possibilities, including halal, gluten-free, veganism and beyond.
Israel’s tiny size of 8,630 square miles means that Israelis’ easy access to a plethora of cultures, climates, and traditions is mainstay. The country’s petite size has another huge advantage: a tight-knit culture where everybody knows someone, and hospitality is at the forefront. For the culinary scene, this translates to unparalleled access to some of the most amazing chefs and food producers in the world.
From picking your own za'atar, to working on ecological farms on tight-knit moshavs, to pressing olives in local groves, our hands-on culinary institution is full of opportunities. GCI is your gateway to over 80 different ethnicities and more than 4,000 years of culture. Enjoy nomadic dining and Bedouin hospitality, discover the secrets of Moroccan salads and mezze, or learn how to make injera bread with Ethiopian Israelis. At GCI, we will have a wide variety of the best culinary ambassadors of the world ready to immerse you into a rich and inspiring variety of cultures.
An Immersive Culinary Experience
Excellence in Business
and Food
As the world transitions, the culinary landscape is showing many changes. As an independent institution, GCI has the flexibility to be creative with the way our students learn, experience and interact, all in real time. We provide students with the tools, workshops, and inspiration they need for creating content, and, finally, for approaching the food business with an entrepreneurial advantage so they can become tomorrow’s culinary leaders. GCI is building a new language of culinary arts and tourism from the ground up.
GCI Has the Ability to Change with the Times
Since Covid -19 has entered our lives, the way we see things has changed. We have had to readjust the way we dine, the way we serve food and the way we approach food as a whole. At GCI we are not tied down by a pre existing curriculum or accreditation body so we have the freedom and ability to rethink, adjust and reframe the way we approach learning according to the changing needs of society.
We believe in the power of innovation and flexibility and we have the ability to cater our courses to the new world while incorporating the classic techniques, knowledge and excellence of the great culinarians of the past.
Photo Credits: Dan Peretz, Thomas Schauer