Interview (in 2003) with Lior Tzelnick, who co-created and co-owns Cafe Hillel along with Yossi Sherf

 

Number of CAFE HILLEL's in Israel:

Seven. There are four in Jerusalem, two in Tel Aviv and one in Netanya. There will be three more in a few months, including in Hertzaliya Pituach and Ramat Sharon.

 

How the name was chosen:

After the street it was on. It was simple and we liked it.

About the design"

Our first two cafes were designed by the architect. Sharon Ela. The next five were designed by Tzila Zak. She is still with us. We wanted a French style neighborhood café. Most of the branding came after the first two. A lot of thought went into the logo and the colors, the service and the environment. Yonatan factor from Tel Aviv did the branding. He gave many us options for the logo and we selected the silhouette of the man with a coat and colors you can't miss.

 

About CAFE HILLEL's coffee:

While most coffee is grown in Central America, South America, and Africa, the leading coffee are roasted in Italy Our coffee is imported from Bologne, Italy and we sat with the coffee compay in Italy to create our house mix which is specially made to fit the Israeli pallete. At the beginning we used to travel to Italy. The Lamborgini family (who make the famous cars) manufactures Tonino Lamborgini café. They make a special mix for us and send it over in café hillel bags. we sat with them to create the mix. made of seven different kinds of café beans.

 

About the clientele:

People from all parts of society. Everyone feel scomfortable there.

 

Customers' favorite foods:

House salad with lettuce, tomatoes, basil, red fried pepper, fried leeks, fried feta cheese, sunflower seeds with vinaigrette sauce.

 

Customer's favorite drink:

Our cappuccino. The definition of a cappuccino is 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk, and 1/3 milk froth.

 

Owner's favorite menu item:

Sandwich Hillel. Dried sundried tomato sauce, feta cheese, basil, nuts, fried eggplants.

 

Building history:

was a bank, not one of the bigger well known ones.

 

What the owners did before opening Café Hillel:

We owned Tsuf Bar and Alexander restaurant by the Jerusalem Cinemateque