When a royal Rolls-Royce parked outside a lavish estate in one of London's most exclusive neighborhoods, Israeli chef Lior Berman knew she was facing one of the most special moments of her career. On Tuesday, October 6, Berman was invited to prepare a private, intimate meal for six guests, including a princess, princes and lords from the royal family and the British aristocracy.
"When you arrive at places like this, even after years in London, when you think you've gotten used to everything, it still feels like something out of the ordinary and very English," Berman said.
"The formality, the atmosphere, the royal car outside, it all looks like a scene from a movie. But the moment I walk into the kitchen, my goal always stays the same: to serve the most amazing food I can and be as authentic as possible."
From a prestigious culinary school in France to building her own business in London
Berman has lived in London for the past 14 years and is a graduate of Institut Lyfe (a prestigious culinary school in France). She built her career in the British capital from the ground up, working her way through the culinary world step by step and establishing a name for herself.
"I started out working at local delis in the city," she recalled. "At the last deli where I worked, private clients came in who were impressed with my work and offered to let me start cooking for them. That's how I got into my own private chef business."
Berman's cooking relies on seasonal ingredients, a commitment to quality and an approach that minimizes food waste as much as possible, in line with the Zero Waste principle. Alongside the French techniques she picked up during her training, she brings the richness and variety of Israeli and Mediterranean cuisine. "I trained in France, but I also bring Israeli cooking with me. People can ask me for almost anything, from refined haute cuisine to a rich Mediterranean spread."
Despite her many years abroad, Berman's connection to Israel has remained strong, especially to Haifa, the city where she grew up. "I love the market in the Wadi in Haifa [a historic market neighborhood in the city]," she said. "London is like a video game. You work level by level, build a community, give it your all and then move on to the next stage."
Her cooking style, which combines fresh ingredients, color, generosity and Mediterranean flavors, is reminiscent in some ways of the cuisine associated with chef Yotam Ottolenghi (the London-based, Israeli-born celebrity chef). Over the years, Berman has built a loyal and well-off clientele, but alongside her culinary work, she is also active in an innovative tech field that connects science, food and creativity.
From the Technion's labs to the royal table, how the connection was born
Beyond her work as a private chef, Berman is also involved in the world of food tech and culinary innovation. She collaborates with the food labs at the Technion in Haifa and advises companies developing "the food of tomorrow," including the alternative dairy company Remilk (an Israeli company producing animal-free dairy proteins).
As part of new product launches, Berman creates and cooks concept meals that demonstrate how innovative food technologies can be integrated into the kitchen. "My goal is to make products accessible to people that they may have never tasted before. To take an innovative product and build three meals around it that show off the range of culinary possibilities it offers," she explained.
It was precisely out of this world that the surprising connection emerged, that led her to the table of the British royal family. Berman had set up a meeting with a researcher and developer who works with the Technion to explore potential collaborations. She prepared a meal for him, and his enthusiastic response to her dishes and culinary skills led him to pass her contact details on to the office manager of the royal family.
The family, famously careful about privacy and discretion, were looking for a private chef who could deliver a meticulously prepared high-quality meal for a small, intimate gathering. The personal recommendation did the trick, and Berman was given the opportunity to cook for six members of the British elite. That's how Israeli culinary innovation, personal talent and British hospitality tradition came together around a single table.
The royal challenge, no gluten, no dairy, no garlic and no tomatoes
The occasion was certainly extraordinary, but the main professional challenge Berman faced was the menu itself. The list of dietary restrictions sent to her in advance was especially long: no gluten, no dairy products, no tomatoes, no garlic, no peppers and no dominant or spicy seasonings.
"That required a lot of creativity and attention to the smallest details," she explained. "I chose a menu built around fresh fish, roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, hints of lemon, and a dark chocolate dessert. I wanted to create dishes that were light, precise and beautifully presented, without compromising on flavor. Of course, I made sure to bring the highest quality ingredients."
Among the dishes served at the table were yellowfin tuna ceviche, grilled monkfish skewers and grilled chicken skewers. Alongside them were roasted chestnut squash, saffron rice and desserts, including flourless dark chocolate brownies.
And the result? According to Berman, the response was so enthusiastic that at the end of the meal, the guests asked to pack up the leftovers and take them home.
"When I saw how much they enjoyed the food and how much they wanted to take some home too, I knew my choices were right. Despite all the formality, at the end of the day, food is one of the things that brings people together."
A proud Israeli, "I don't hide who I am"
Alongside her professional success in London, Berman emphasizes that her Israeli identity is an inseparable part of who she is, even during a complicated period for Israel. She continues to maintain close ties with Israel and is also exploring potential food-tech collaborations with the Technion.
"I explain myself calmly and pleasantly, but I always tell clients that I'm here for the food, and that I will never in my life hide who I am," she said. "I bring my best food and my service with me, and that's what matters."
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Between Israeli cuisine and French technique, between the markets of Haifa and the luxury homes of London, Lior Berman continues to build her path as a private chef on the British culinary scene. For her, even when the guests are members of the British elite, the principle remains simply to work with excellent ingredients, cook from the heart, and stay true to who she is.
