Be True to Your Own Standards: Interview with Celebrity Chef Ron Ben-Israel

Several years ago, I interviewed celebrity chef Ron Ben-Israel in an interview originally published in Thrive Global. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

Adam: What is something about you that your fans don’t know?

Ron: I cherish spending time at home, cooking and serving dinner to friends and colleagues. There’s no party for me like a “dinner party”!

Adam: What are your hobbies and how have they shaped you?

Ron: I don’t think I ever had a hobby that didn’t morph into a career. If I go camping. I’ll find a way to bake a cake on the pitch fire. I find everything interesting, so there’s no distinction between work and leisure.

Adam: Who have been the biggest influences in your life and why?

Ron: My career mentors have been my cake-decorating teacher Betty Van Norstrand and my baking prophetess Rose Levy Beranbaum. Both have influenced countless bakers and artisans, but when I came along not only they shared their knowledge generously with me, but also encouraged me to find my own way. 

Adam: What failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your development and success? 

Ron: Rejection has been, as unpleasant as it may be at the moment, a great motivator for me. Not getting a promotion or a role always drove me to work harder as a performer. I was even fired once from being a short-order cook in a restaurant for making the plates “too pretty”, and so I moved to a field where pretty is a must.

Adam: You’ve spent time in the Israeli army, as a professional dancer, as a professional chef, and in television. What are your biggest takeaways from your unique background?

Ron: I actually find similarities with all these careers, and that is why I gravitated toward them. They require repetitive practice, discipline, and a good degree of egotistical show-off.

Adam: What are the keys to creating a premium brand? 

Ron: Be true to your own standards. I couldn’t understand why wedding cakes were not tastier when I started to bake professionally, so I sought to change it. I wanted a better cake to be proud of, and couldn’t accept the norm. Having my own name as the brand made me responsible to the content I deliver.

Adam: In your experience, what are the common qualities among those who have been able to enjoy success on television?

Ron: My formative TV exposure was next to Martha Stewart; I learned from her to improvise with ease and not be afraid of mistakes. I admire her keen interest to learn new skills while being filmed. When I watch Guy Fieri or Alton Brown, they seem to use the camera as an extension of themselves. The worst thing that can happen is to freeze, but luckily I rarely find myself with a lack of words.

Adam: What are your three best culinary tips? 

Ron: Learn the basic techniques by working next to someone who knows more than yourself – my mother was my first culinary role model, as she was extremely organized and methodical in the home kitchen. Practice skills as if you were playing a musical instrument. The results come later – while working I observe movement and rhythm, and not the goal. Invest in absorbing the science of food – why do foods brown with heat? How to thicken a sauce or dessert? How does salt work to enhance flavors? The chemistry and methods are the key to success.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Ron: Practice the saying, “I would love to do this for you but unfortunately I can’t”. This is from my good friend Rona, and it works for almost any sticky situation.

Adam: How can anyone pay it forward? 

Ron: You have to give it away in order to keep it. Early on I was asked to contribute to the fight against hunger in New York City by collaborating with City Harvest –the first organization in the USA to rescue food from restaurants and locations and distribute it to the hungry. Side by side with many of my city’s chefs and restaurateurs, I learned so much about our food culture, healthy balanced eating, and how fortunate I am. Since my work is in the luxury market, working to help the needy through City Harvest proved to be a perfect fit.

Adam: Is there anything else would like to share? 

Ron: I’m always excited about the designs my team and I will come up with for the next season, and all the opportunities to collaborate with celebrants on their life’s occasions. When I have a challenging day, I try to remember what a great role I get to play in life!


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

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