The spirit of the place according to Michael Katz

It's hard to name my favourite restaurants in Tel Aviv, as there are so many... But I'd have to say I have a soft spot for Oasis, Rima Olivera's restaurant. This energetic woman, originally from California, moved to Israel about fifteen years ago. She's a real icon for me. All her cooking is based on excellent, impeccably fresh produce. Her menu changes almost every day, depending on the meats and vegetables she finds from local producers. For example, her duck breast, a rare dish that is almost always on the menu, is accompanied by braised persimmon in winter and peaches in summer. And its matcha and jasmine ice cream is an unrivalled delicacy. What's more, Oasis is in a great neighbourhood, just a stone's throw from the Montefiore Boutique Hotel, whose bar serves delicious cocktails.

In Tel Aviv, I also like the concept of the OCD restaurant, where 20 people can sit around an open kitchen, which encourages impromptu conversations. You can enjoy a surprise menu of six or seven courses while watching the team of young chefs at work. Another place I recommend is Mashya, the restaurant in the Mendeli Street Hotel, a fine example of contemporary Israeli cuisine in a place awash with greenery. It's also a great place for a quick drink, as the bar is really great. In the same vein, I also like to arrange meetings at the whiskey museum in the Sarona district. Here you'll find over 1,000 different whiskies in a beautiful old cellar.

I also sometimes wander around old Jaffa. In the narrow ancestral streets is the house-museum of Ilana Goor, one of the country's best-known contemporary sculptors. Climb up to the roof terrace overlooking the sea, where the view is breathtaking. Another place to visit is the Heichal Hatarbut, home to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductor for several decades has been Zubin Mehta. The architecture of the venue is fantastic, as it is a very pure, all-glass building from the late 1950s. I also recommend a short diversions to the design museum, designed by Israeli architect Ron Arad. And of course, you can't love Tel Aviv without loving its skyline and its promenade along the beach...

When it comes to dining out in Jerusalem, I also find it hard to choose, as there is so much to choose from. I like Ishtabach, the restaurant run by Oren, one of my former cooks. He prepares tasty meat turnovers, a Syrian speciality that he inherited from his grandmother. I especially love the relaxed atmosphere of this place, located in the heart of the Mahané Yehuda market. In fact, it's in this market, at Bashkevitz Spices, that I buy my spices. It's a shop that's been around since 1936! It sells tea, coffee, herbal remedies and spices, of course. Among the other restaurants, I'd also mention Eucalyptus, a special concept, as it serves 'biblical' cuisine, i.e. traditional dishes, all kosher. I also like Adom, a trendy place that is open seven days a week and offers a wide variety of Israeli wines to accompany very contemporary local cuisine. It's in the old Jerusalem train station, which is really cool.

Finally, I have two favourite museums in Jerusalem. The first is the Islamic Art Museum, a truly magical and little-known place. As well as jewellery, ceramics and very old and beautiful objects, there is a collection of rare watches, one of which belonged to Marie-Antoinette. And of course, you must also visit the Israel Museum, which holds, among other jewels, part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, exhibited in a sublime dedicated pavilion, as well as a sculpture garden and an immense collection of paintings, particularly of modern Israeli art.