With more than 30 years of global culinary experience—including training at The Culinary Institute of America and work in leading kitchens in New York and Boston—Chef Pollak brings a philosophy rooted in clarity, restraint, and storytelling through ingredients. 

“GCI is an amazing opportunity to create real impact,” he said. “What excites me most is not just cooking great food, but helping develop thinking chefs—people who understand their ingredients, their costs, their culture, and their responsibility to the place they’re in.” 

The developing menu reflects his ethos: food that is deeply connected to the land, and in this case, shaped by the Galilee’s farmers, seasons, and cultures. 

“In Israel, it’s about time that world-class institutions exist in the North and the South—not only in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Culture, education, and opportunity should be everywhere.”