Chef Reuven Harel, President of the Israeli Chefs’ Association, flutters and smacks his lips as if

judging fine wine, jokes “that is Sunfrost” (frozen vegetables), or digs his fork into the anonymously prepared meals set before him and eats with gusto.

Guest Chef Bruno Prevot of France tastes little of the food placed before him but looks attentively and will put forth a finger to lightly touch.

Journalist and cookbook author Ruth Sirkis also nibbles: “It’s enough to take one little taste; you can tell if it’s soup powder, or dry, or spicy.”

Television celebrity Chef and Tel-Aviv restauranteer Shaul Ben Aderet “love[s] to smell,” he says,” and only after do I taste; I only need a touch of the tongue.”

Meanwhile, in an adjacent room on the Rambam campus, 75 uniformed contestants representing

15 hospital kitchens throughout Israel have gathered to await the jury’s decision in the nation’s

2nd Annual Hospital-Cooking Competition.

The event recognizes the importance of wholesome and attractive hospital meals in nourishing patients back to health, and encourages Israel’s medical chefs to learn from each other.

Pictured with this new mom are Rambam’s youngest gastronome and (L to R) Head Chefs Maya Ceperson of Rambam Health Care Campus (First Prize), Nisim Mizrahi of Hadassah Medical Center (Second Prize) and Shmuel Timsit of Ichilov General Hospital (Third Prize).

Chef Ceperson’s winning meal: skewered chicken with sautéed onions and a sprinkling of sesame seeds; sliced potatoes, green beans, tomato soup and quinoa salad on the side; and compote for dessert.