
Life Lessons with Dr. Bob
Life Lessons with Doctor Bob, hosted by Mega-Philanthropist and Cognex Corporation founder, Dr. Robert Shillman, is where you’ll hear highly accomplished and fascinating guests talk about the challenges they’ve overcome, and the winning mindsets that have led them to great success.
Life Lessons with Dr. Bob
Ep49: From Moroccan Orphan to Jerusalem’s Culinary Star: Katy Ohana
With all of the chaos and violence Israel has faced in the last several months, enjoy this heartwarming tale from Jerusalem. Join Dr. Bob and special guest Katy Ohana, a resilient restaurateur, as they explore Katy's remarkable journey from a challenging childhood as an orphan in Morocco to founding a top-rated restaurant in the heart of Jerusalem. Katy shares stories of overcoming adversity, the evolution of her small French bistro into a culinary destination, and the unexpected friendships and moments that shaped her business and personal philosophy. The New York Times named Katy's the best restaurant in Jerusalem. Discover how determination, hard work, and a bit of serendipity can lead to lasting success and personal fulfillment. Katy's Restaurant in Jerusalem is a one of a kind dining experience, hosted by a truly one of a kind woman. #jerusalem #finedining #Israel #passover #goodnews #heartwarming #frenchcuisine #drbobpodcast #jewish #katysrestaurant #kingdavid
I want to thank you for all what you do for me, Dr. Bob. You do so much. And I have this occasion to say it. What you do for me, no one did in my life.
that America has always been and still is the land of opportunity for everyone. Hello and welcome to another episode in the series Life Lessons with Dr.
Bob. My guest today is Katie Ohana, a restaurateur and a close family friend. I first met Katie when I was touring Israel about 30 years ago.
ago. I was staying at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem with some friends and I asked the concierge for a recommendation for dinner. He recommended a small French restaurant called Katie's within walking distance of the hotel.
Well, I went to the hotel, I went to the restaurant, it was maybe a 10 minute very pleasant walk up a hill and around some corners. and there I came across this small,
small restaurant with some tables outside, sort of cute, small. Maybe it seats twenty people in total inside and outside and went in and looked at the menu.
I was greeted at the door. My friends and I by the proprietor, who's Katie, who you'll hear from tonight. And, uh... into the restaurant with a great smile and question about what I wanted to drink and here's the menu,
any suggestions, and just had a fantastic meal. And in addition to the meal, she came over to every patron to ask them how was what they liked,
could it be any better. They're very interested in whether we were satisfied, not just me, she didn't know me. me, and we talked and I learned that she started that restaurant in 1974,
that's nearly 50 years ago today, when she was 20 years old. At that time, when she started, there were only two other restaurants in all of Jerusalem,
so just by statistics, she was already in the top three in the city. Of course, Jerusalem has grown. in 50 years, and it is now an international destination for tourists and high -tech businessmen.
And the need for and the number of restaurants has increased dramatically. I just checked online today, and according to TripAdvisors,
Katie's ranks very high. It gets four -and -a -half stars out of five, from eight -hundred to five -hundred. and fifty -nine reviewers. It is in the top ten out of six hundred and ninety -four other restaurants.
After nearly fifty years in business, what an accomplishment for a small, privately owned bistro. Welcome to the show,
Katie. Good evening, Dr. Bob. I'm very pleased to be here today. tonight and very impressed. I didn't expect that but thank you for choosing me tonight.
I think you have a fantastic story to tell about overcoming adversity to achieve the success that you've reached. But before I turn the microphone over to Katie,
I want to tell you about her background because only by learning about the hardships that she's overcome will you get to appreciate the importance of hard work,
determination, and perseverance in becoming successful in life. Here's a bit of Katie's story. She was born 78 years ago in Casablanca,
Morocco. The hard -working but very poor parents. But as she's pointed out to me, just about everyone back then in Morocco was poor.
Well, poverty wasn't the biggest hardship that she faced. The first and perhaps the most significant hardship of her entire life was being abandoned by her father right after birth.
He rejected her and left her mother. to take care of a baby girl born with visible birth defects. More hardship to come to Fikati.
Her mother died when she was seven, so she moved in with her mother's parents. But after a year or so, her elderly grandparents parents couldn't raise her,
so they put her in an orphanage for Jewish children. where Katie stayed for ten years. She recalls those years as being quite happy,
not between you and me, that if your memories about being an orphan and an orphanage are positive, then just about everything prior to that in your life must have been pretty bad.
When she turned 18, she was told that she'd have to leave the orphanage. orphanage. Well, we all have to leave the nest at some time, but where was she to go? There were not a lot of opportunities for anyone in Casablanca at that time,
so her counselor suggested Israel. So in 1964, with meager funds from her part -time work at the orphanage, and with the help of various philanthropic organizations,
she and her grand grandparents emigrated to Israel, where she got a job as a nursing assistant at a major hospital in Jerusalem. She held that job for 10 years,
and now for the best parts of the story, I'll turn the microphone over to Katie to tell you what happened next. Now,
Katie, you had background in the restaurant business. - Yes. Tell us the story. What were the circumstances that led you to start a restaurant in Jerusalem?
I never thought of that before, but I was, I had a boyfriend. He was the town architect. And at that time we had a lot of guests. He had a lot of guests from abroad.
And I always cooked. In the apartment, in his apartment, in your apartment. I mean we were living together Okay, yeah after a while and I was I was a cook I was and Then When he wanted to marry me he got a cancer a kidney cancer and He was he was given just one year to live And at that time cancer was not like today chemotherapy was very hard hard,
and he had nobody, only me in Israel. He was from Denmark? He was from Denmark, so I took care of, I was always with him.
You were his nurse? And the professor said to me, "Kati, you can't deal with this. It's too hard for you. You are too young. Let him go back to Copenhagen.
I won't do it. I thought it was not too hard for you." But when he died, I felt quite a release. Not happy,
I can say happy, but I think my duty was over to him. I did what I could with what I had, the possibilities.
One thing I knew I didn't want to go back to hospital. That's all I knew hospital. I'm not going back Whatever will be the the consequence so a friend of mine They are a couple Told me why don't you open a restaurant?
I said a restaurant. Why do they even suggest that because I was a good cook Oh, they they had enjoyed your food. Yes. They said why don't you do that? You are good in it You are good good in cooking. You are good in talking to people.
Do it. Restaurant. How do we open a restaurant?" I don't know anything. He said, "I will help you." So we find a very tiny place,
like the one I have now, even smaller, and I thought that restaurant I was so naive and probably stupid. that you cook every day what you feel like,
but one dish. One dish each day. One day fish, one day meat. When people come, I say I have this, this, this. I realized after a month,
that's not a restaurant. And that is not a restaurant. restaurant. And the game is over. I mean, I cannot continue.
I was very, I was very worried about the face of the customer when they came that they said, what did you cook today? Ah,
but we're here last week, we had the same thing. So because I was supposed to close on Shabbat, that restaurant. we went to a nice dinner.
At some place else. Yeah. In a hotel. Mm -hmm. And I ordered shrimp cocktail. And I got... As you can tell, Katie is not a very observant Jew.
Shrimp are not kosher food, but Judaism, it's levels of observance. Some people observe all the rules. Some people observe none of the rules. rules. We call those reformed Jews,
by the way. And then there are conservative Jews who conform to many of the rules. And mainly because I was living with a dain seven years,
and we had a lot of fish and a lot of... So anyhow, I asked, who did this... Wait a minute. So you went to this restaurant, ordered a shrimp cocktail. I ate the shrimp.
shrimp cocktail. - And how was it? - It was the best thing you can imagine, Dr. Bob. So I wanted to know and thank the person who did that dish.
So I said, who did this? I want to thank him. It was really good. I couldn't do it in my restaurant because I had to be kosher anyway. - At that time, yep. - So came a 16 years old boy,
very shy. He said I did it Said you couldn't do this, but he worked with the best chefs since he was 13 French chefs that hotel at that time you hire French chefs.
So he was You know a piccolo. He was just He was a trainee training. I said how much do you make here? He said a hundred allowance a month." I said,
"I give you 300, come tomorrow." No, I said, "I give you 300." He said, "I come tomorrow." - He said that. - He said, "I come tomorrow." Eight o 'clock he was there. - Wow.
What's his name? - Umran. - Umran. - I said, "Do you know how to make steak? "How to make an appetizer? "Maybe you have an idea of an appetizer, maybe?" And he built me a menu.
menu like a great chef he took the menu of the hotel brought it with him and he said just print this print this menu I will do everything you have in the menu I couldn't believe it my eyes or your or your taste buds immediately I became successful the King David started to come to my restaurant,
send me customers, all the high society, just name it from Bronfman, the whiskey, to, to, so and so and so. - To the mayor of Jerusalem.
- The mayor of Jerusalem. - Right. - The mayor of Jerusalem, when he found out that I was existing, and the people told him, when he met the people, they told him from the King David,
the guests told him, you know. know Teddy we have been in a restaurant last night the lady there she's so funny she's different you should go you should bring your guests there you're not kosher Teddy he was not kosher so I started in the kingdom of the blind I was the king no kidding and so one joined your restaurant restaurant,
and by the way, he's still there today, okay? Uman, an Arab who was a kid 15, 15 years old when she met him,
is still the chef at that restaurant till today. Okay, so he solved the food problem. So he solved the food problem. But then,
as I understand it, people, businessmen. come in they want to come in They want a cocktail Dr. Bob won a cocktail Of course give me a gene and whatever What is he talking about?
What am I going to do now now? We solve the food now? We have to deal with the drinks because people from the King David at that time you should know it was only King David that was those other hotels didn't exist.
That was the only high -end hotel, right? So people come from the King David, they want a drink, and each one gives me a name. The name of an alcohol?
They're used to. I don't know anything. Well, you were 29, 30 years old. I said, "Please, sir, don't worry. Here,
I have a policy." the customer make their drinks and by the way you can other cheat me or make a double drink Whatever you want,
whatever you want when you're waiting so so you didn't have any bar at all when you first started There was no bar. I had few battles a few bottles of the cognac of this of that No,
I had some I had I bought some I didn't know how to use it right did not a mix thing how to mix it Yes, yes Yes. So you said, when anybody wanted something, you said,
here's the bottle. Pour as much. No, here is the bar. Here is the bar. Go to the bar. Go into the bar. Go into the bar. Tell me what you need. And I get you. And when you finish to drink, you give me how many drinks you had.
Yeah. You tell me. Right. So this is, and how we did it, how many drinks. Right. Another way. You know the sticker you. The stirrer. Yeah. Yeah. You put it in your. jacket. And how many you have put?
That is the amount you have been drinking. Yeah, that's good. Good way. Yeah. And it become fashionable. What are the other indicators? And they...
Well, frankly, I would prefer that too. Because how does a bartender know what proportion of tonic I want in my gin? You have a measurement. Oh yeah.
Which is terrible. Terrible. Okay. That's not the way I drink. Now just to let you know, I'm a gin and tonic guy. Now the rules on gin and tonic,
the rules, the bartender's guide, is one part gin, three parts tonic. That doesn't get you the buzz nearly fast enough. You'll have to have three of those.
So, I just invert that. It's three parts. -part gin, one -part tonic, and that's how my gin and tonics are. So this, what Katie provided with to her customers,
is the flexibility. You make the drink any way you want. Any way you want, just tell me what you need. And H1 makes me a list when he comes, they become steady customers. So they bring me a list.
And you make sure you have that liquor on board? On board. Or they call me from the hotel. They said mr. So and so mrs. Hasenfeld is coming Sylvia hasn't felt make sure you have this this and this right because she's bringing some guests.
I Remember the last time I was there a couple of years ago. You made sure that they had Bombay sapphire gin That's dr. Bob and dr. Bob and this is the way it was run that restaurant today,
right? Right. About 50 years. I never sell drinks by myself. I tell the customer, "Only the wine, the wine I do it myself." You want they started to put like this,
put like this, said, "Sir, doesn't work like this here, sir. You go, you make your own drink. We bring you everything and you do your own drink." Because people are particular.
particular that you're right, right? They want this and now there is a new drink apparel. Oh, I've heard of apparel I don't know what it is. No, I think no, I do you have apparel. Do you have apparel mostly Americans?
Yeah, I said madame. I don't have apparel. What is apparel? Tell me what I get it for you. Yeah, so she said I went get a bottle of apparel No,
this is unbelievable. She actually sends either she she or Uman go out to a store nearby and buy whatever you want right then, in real time.
It's like Amazon, you know, whatever you want to eat, she'll get the ingredients right then and make it for you. This is how I run my business till today.
It's great, great story. Okay, so over here. the years, Katie, you've told me many interesting and humorous stories about you and what's happened in the restaurant.
Let's start with the story. Again, in this case with Teddy Collick, the then mayor of Jerusalem. But first, I have to give my viewers some details about this,
some background. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. there is a holy day. And I use that term, you know, always. I don't like the term holiday.
If there is a holiday is a day off, barbecue, go to the game, whatever. That's a holiday. But there's also holy days. Now, holy day became holiday,
but to me, they're different meanings, okay? Veteran's day is a holiday. You're celebrating the veterans, but it's not holy. So just to make this quick, in Judaism,
there is a holy day called Tisha Ba 'av, which means in Hebrew, the third day of the month of Av. It's the ninth day, sorry,
Tisha Ba 'av, the ninth day. It's recognized in Judaism as the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, on the whole year. It's a day when Jews mourn all of the many tragedies that befell the Jewish people over their 3 ,000 -year history.
Now it's especially a holy day and observed for Jews in Jerusalem because one of the biggest tragedies was the destruction and the loss of both the first and second temples in Jerusalem about 2 ,000 years ago.
,000 years ago. So on Tisha Bav in Jerusalem, most shops and restaurants are closed in observance of this day.
But Katie, who's not terribly an observant Jew to start with, wasn't aware of the importance of Tisha Bav, so she remained open. And she took a call that afternoon from the concierge Concierge at King David Hotel,
who wanted to make dinner reservations for some very important guests. The mayor of Jerusalem at that time, who Katie had met numerous times before.
And his guests, Princess Margaret, the sister of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of England, and Princess Margaret's husband.
husband, Anthony Armstrong Jones. All right, with that background, I'm going to let Katie tell the story. You took that call. As you know, everything is closed in Jerusalem.
I was supposed to be closed, not that I opened, I was supposed to be closed. Supposed to be closed, almost the law. It's a law. The law is made on my name today.
The law of closing. closing Tiff Abelab is called Katie Law. - Katie's law. - Katie's law. - Yes. - Yeah, it's a law, okay. - So people should remember it.
So what happened to us? I came from Tel Aviv and the girl worked for me at that day. She said, "You know what happened?" I said, "No." She sat there cold and he wants a table.
Six people tonight. I said, "Look." he probably made a mistake. But what we shall do is to wait until eight o 'clock. If he doesn't appear, this is Teddy,
he just gets mixed up. But if he's here, I open, then arrived Teddy Colleague. And I couldn't say next to the princess,
this is tonight, I be half Teddy, not Teddy, it's not Teddy. of my business anyway. - Right, right, right. - So people sat and had drinks and he with his cigar. And after that-- - And at that time,
you could smoke cigars. - You could smoke cigars, he always had a cigar. He came to two young gentlemen, he said-- - About halfway. - Can we have a drink? - While they were there,
they came. - When they were there. - Yeah, okay. - Can we have a drink? - Mm -hmm. - I said, not to-- really, but ah, so I went to Teddy and said, "Teddy,
can I get those two people? Is it okay for you?" He said, "Isn't it a free country?" He said to me. So I said, "Please sit." And Teddy was in a good mood.
He had a few drinks. The princess was in a good mood. the best mood. And the two gentlemen there, the two boys, looked at me and said, "You know,
ask Teddy if you could have a picture with him, it would be a nice picture." So I went to Teddy, I said, "Teddy, can we have a picture together?" Wait a minute.
They wanted a picture of you with Teddy. With Teddy, mostly with Teddy. Mostly with Teddy, yeah. And the three of them were with Teddy. And the three of them were with Teddy. And the table, I get it. Not with them. No, of course not. They were journalists.
Okay. I didn't know they were. Okay. You didn't know at the time. I thought they came there. I didn't know them. Okay. So when I was having the picture, they said to me, "Katy,
get a little closer to Teddy." So I said, "No, I can't do that." So Teddy said, "Why not?" not? Of course you can." He hugged you. Poor Teddy colleague.
Oh boy. Okay. Okay. The dinner was over, they paid, they left. The second day I come to the restaurant Dr. Bob.
Maybe two thousand, maybe three thousand, maybe ten thousand of Yeshiva boys. These are religious Jews from other neighborhoods. neighborhoods in Jerusalem. All with the tzitzit,
with the dress for religiously, and shouting, "Burn the restaurant." Close that restaurant. Right. Close it, burn it. Now,
what happened? How did they know? Why did they do that the next day? It was all over the newspaper. Ah, these guys were journals. And mainly the religious newspaper. Ah. So...
they sold the photo, or they were working for a newspaper, and they were following Teddy Collick intentionally, all right, like in today's political environment,
and they took pictures, and they wrote an article, or somebody wrote an article, Teddy Collick's at a restaurant during Tisha Bov. - On Tisha Bov, all the newspapers.
- All the newspapers. - Beniva. the religious people were shouting until Benio Dasturid, which is like three kilometers from my restaurant. All black,
you know. I said, "My God, they are going to kill me." - Okay. - So Teddy appeared in the television and said, "Please don't touch Katy.
Don't do anything. If you want, you can burn me, you can burn me." throw me, but you know that if you send me home you are a loser because I have so many of you in the in the municipality that you will be without job,
but don't touch Katie, so they became very, the story if I end up in the end, but they didn't forgive me, right? And the end of that year,
it was the end of my contract. - All right, so you had a lease on the rest on that space, yeah. - So the end of that year, they did not-- - And the lease,
just to give you background, the lease was held by some religious organization for some reason, they owned that property. And because of this, which is an affront to religious Jews to be open,
they wouldn't renew her lease. So tell us, how did this become a law now? How did I? What? How did it become a law that you have to be closed?
How did after that, it was in the Knesset alone? Yeah. In the Israeli parliament. But the religious insisted. Not that they wanted to have a law in the Knesset,
but the religious insisted. Yes. he should be a law, that cat is law, that opened on Tish Abayah, so they get such a penalty if somebody-- Okay,
so every restaurant in all of Israel now, it's a law that cannot be opened on Tish Abayah. It is a law now. It's not if you are polite or kind or religious.
or not religious. It's a law. Shrimp cocktail. You don't eat shrimp cocktail. It's not of their business. Yeah, yeah. It's a law. It's a law. You can't be open. So I made a law.
Congratulations. Okay. That's a great, that's a great story, right? Am I right? Okay. Okay. That's one of the many stories that Katie told me.
You know, we can go on. She's been in business 50 years. There's at least one story a year. So about 15 years ago, Katie got another call from the concierge.
Now, I don't want you to think that she only gets business from the King David. But in the old days, in the old days, back then, there weren't that many hotels. in Israel.
No, the clientele, excuse me to interrupt you, but the clientele which suit my restaurant came from the King David. We're talking about people who can afford a rather expensive elegant French meal and those are people at the King David,
maybe the David Citadel or now what's that other, there's another fine restaurant and fine food. hotel in Israel which is it where in Israel and Jerusalem the other restaurant at the other hotel the brand -new one you have at the King David now you have a restaurant what are the other hotels in Israel the new one No yes the Waldorf Astoria but they probably wouldn't recommend Cady's because Cady's restaurant is not a
kosher restaurant now they don't serve a shellfish shellfish, despite the fact that Katie, you know, hired the chef because of a shrimp crackdill. They don't serve shellfish or pork.
It's kosher style, but it's not kosher. So it's unlikely that the Waldorf Astoria would recommend you, right? They're not going to recommend people. They don't recommend me. Right. They don't recommend me. There are too many religious there. Not right.
So she got another call from the concierge. concierge of the King David, and it was about a party of nine people. No,
they called me. They said, "We have a party of nine people on the name of Mr. Murphy." Yes, Mr. Murphy. And those days,
Dr. Bob, I was so busy cooking, so busy. Yeah, you're not paying attention to the media. You don't know. I write the reservation. Mr. Murphy. Mr. Murphy. Fine. in the morning the security came a big security security check the restaurant bodyguards come for the for mr.
Murphy yes they told you yes we're here to check their safety yes mr. Murphy is coming we have to check how many interns do you have how many days so for me why do you check a restaurant unless you are a senator or a prime minister right somebody somebody very important.
- I never thought of something else. - Right, of course. So let's call him Senator Murphy. - Seven o 'clock in the evening, nobody show up. - Seven, nobody's there. It's supposed to be for nine people. - The nine people, not one.
I got so upset. - Yeah. - And more the time was passing, it's half of my restaurant. - Undisturbed, undisturbed. - But they're only,
yeah, and they're at 12 o 'clock. tables at most in Katie's restaurant. And if she reserves them, then that means income she's not going to get. -And I was getting very mad because I prepared for them,
you know. So at nine o 'clock. -Nine. -Nine. Exactly nine. -Two hours later, yep. -Uh, you excuse me if I say a black fellow,
but he was a black fellow, a black guy. -How's he dressed? Open the door, broke the door, the window. He pushed it so hard.
The door so high that the vitrage got broken till today. Yeah, till today. Okay, till today. The vitrage is broken. What's the vitage? That's the he said you have a reservation for Mr Murphy.
But I was so mad when I saw this guy said you must be the driver. Yeah. he looked at me if you say I'm the driver I'm the driver yeah so he said I said are you nine he said no we are only seven mm -hmm I said you are supposed to be nine he said so I said mr.
Murphy couldn't make it now he made made it that way. - Yeah, Mr. Murphy can't make it, go ahead. - He made it that way for me, that I answer these questions without feeling.
I mean, he helped me to this situation. - Yes, Mr. Murphy can't make it. - Where I was. - Yes, you were upset 'cause you reserved nine and now it's seven. - I said,
"Do you know that Mr. Murphy is very rude your boss?" Because I asked him, "Who are you? What are you doing for him?" He said,
"I'm the driver," as you said. I said, "How do you... What kind of Mr. Murphy is?" This is not supposed to be. He ordered a table at seven.
-For seven o 'clock? -He don't show up. -Till nine o 'clock? -Nine o 'clock. And he don't care. - Yeah, yeah. What kind of guy? - What kind of person he is? He said,
"What do you think he is?" I said, "I'm sure he's a senator, no?" He said, "Yes, so this is the behavior of senators. This is how the senator behave." He said,
"What do you think? He's white or black?" I said, "Of course he's white. A senator can be black." such an idiot I was. Well, back then probably true.
I said well, I said why do you work for, how long do you work for him? He said five years, five years work with this man. I wouldn't stay one day.
Okay, the food starts, he said can I have a steak and chips? I said so. "Sir, sorry to insult you. I don't serve chips and steak. I have a la carte dinner." Yeah.
Okay, you give me what you want. And you have steak, you just don't have. Yeah, but not steak and chips. No, no, this is, it's a French restaurant. So the, we start to talk. He said, "Who are you?" I said,
"I'm the owner of this little restaurant." And you know, know I'm really upset because he destroyed my evening Because he was late.
He could just cancel. Yeah, that's okay. That's okay. That is okay And you know by the way I learned I was a friend to a baron. I say to him Only when you are dead you can't make it Because you can't call You can't call right.
I could sell the table Yeah from seven to nine. I was really, you could see, I was very mad. Well, I am. He said, don't worry.
But you know those white people, how they are. They are not educated. They think they know everything. They think they can use, do you know what he do to me? Do you know what he do to me?
(laughing) What does he do to you? What the senator does to him. So I said, I look at him, what does he do to you? He doesn't pay you? He said, no, it wasn't that. He'd make me drive all over America.
- Yeah. - Not even offer me a coffee, not even telling me have a lunch. And he started to be, and I started to be more with him.
- Yeah. - And we end up to be both of us upset. - About senator. - About the senator, Mr. Mercer. Murphy, and we,
I said, you know, by the way, no, he said, I wish I had a job, you had a job for me. I said, look, you are very good looking,
by the way, you could stay with me and be away there. Do you want a job? I give you a job. Don't stay with him. He said,
"Really?" He said, "Look, you can stay here six months or three months." "Try it out." "Meet a nice girl here, have a wonderful time,
and work for me." So, if like this, I can quit. He said, "No, no, don't quit. Wait. We are discussing." And it goes on and on and on.
Then the next week, he said, "I don't want to quit. I don't want to quit. I don't want to quit. bill comes, said, "Please, would you please charge me twice, nine people, put 25 % tip?" I said,
"No, don't do that. He will throw you out. Don't do that. He's rude. Please don't do that." I complained because he was not not polite,
but you shouldn't pay for him shouldn't cheat him Yeah, yeah, that's not the way. Yeah. No, no, no, no, no, don't worry about it The fucking bastard didn't know how to behave The fucking bastard should pay for it Wow,
wow the senator that senator that's said that and He pays me. I mean I charge him then he take five hundred dollar and He said this is for you.
I Want you to buy something for you said don't do that. I'm the owner. I don't need it, please I don't want to I I maybe I can't offer you the job. I Just said that for fun.
Now. I was I got scared of myself, of my offer. - Now he's gonna accept it, who knows? - Now he's coming to work for me, I don't need-- - Right, we may not have business to afford him.
- I can't afford him. Then he give me a hug and leave. The table on the other side looked at me and said, "Do you know who was here?
"Did he realize who is this?" And I was like, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." I said, "Of course I know. He's the driver of Mr. Murphy,
the senator." He said, "This is Eddie Murphy." Eddie Murphy, the actor. The actor. I didn't know who was Eddie Murphy.
A good actor, good actor. And then I saw a movie after that. - Yeah, so he didn't show up to be a waiter? - Never show up, that's it. - Yeah, you can't trust these actors,
you can't. - He just was kind. - Wow. - He didn't want to say, I am Eddie Murphy in the end, nothing, he was such a nice fellow. - What a nice guy, but a bad senator.
- But you know, anecdote like that, you have hundreds when you are in this kind of business for so many years. - You've been a lot of them. - Yeah, and the last time I met you, story for today took place about 10 years ago when Katie met a guardian angel.
Tell us that story, Katie. - My cook had, how do you call when it is stopped? - A blockage in his coronary arteries.
- Yes. So he had-- - Almost a heart attack. - Almost a heart attack. He had to go. He was in the hospital and they announced me that in the morning. They told his family that he can't come to work.
I got a reservation for 12 people and they were on their way. Now you have to understand that this is really a small family owned personally owned restaurant.
Two people run this restaurant. right? Katie and Uman. That's hell. You show up there. That's what it is. There may be a piano player that evening,
but generally speaking, it's Katie and Uman. That's right. You have a good memory, Dr. Alba. And you are a good friend. I have good memories also.
So, I couldn't, I just... know what to do. I, I, they are on the way. I can cancel. What can I do now?
What can I do? The tables, which supposed to be outside are inside. It's dark like hell. I am alone. And there are 20 minutes coming,
coming 12 people. So as you know me, I'm very sensitive and very emotional. So I start to cry. First of all, I don't know if it is relaxing me or I cry because I'm nervous.
I open the window and I'm crying and I say, "God, please help me. Help me. Don't let me down." Maybe it was the first time I really said that in loud,
you know, do something. And I see a nice thing. this is why you're taking tables out of I was trying to take the tables outside they were heavy right so gentlemen walk with blue shirt and jeans very good -looking must be on his 40 madam can I help you don't do that alone I said you can help me me.
How can you help me? You know what is happening to me?" So I was so depressed that I said, "Please tell me. How can I help you?" I said,
"I don't know if you can help me, but my cook is in the hospital. I am alone. I have 12 people coming. I don't know from where to start. To make the table, I have to get the tables out.
Don't lose time." time. Tell me what to do. I help you. Are you sure?" I said, "Yes." I said,
"First of all, let's put the tables outside." What else do you have to do? I said, "I have to fix table 412." So I do it. That I can do quickly. Get into the kitchen. I thought,
"My God, it looks like he worked here all the time." time, this fellow." I said, "Do you know something about restaurant? Have you been a waiter in your life?" He said,
"Yes, I worked when I was a student, as a waiter, as a cook. Don't worry about it. Try to concentrate on the 12 people.
And don't show any nappiness." nervosity. Calm down, calm down. It will be OK. Tell me what to do. Tell me where is the bar,
where is the wine, what do I get? So he gives them the menu. When he gives the menu, I heat the bread and put the water on a table, on a side table.
And because he was so good looking, people accepted him. You know, he was nice with the-- a napkin he put like this. A total stranger. Total stranger.
10 minutes before I met him. Then I get into the kitchen, when I take the order, he brings them the drink, and it looked like we were two outside.
And then we have the cook. Cook is inside. No one is inside, it's me. So I tell him he said try to sell most simple things to make more or less the same.
Try to play with the food. So I became I said yes. So you know today we have the best you know I don't know if you know about our restaurant but we have the best beef in town.
I really highly recommend you lampchop lamb chops and beef. You should have it, you should all have it. It's our, the best. - Special, you're special. - So he do to me like this.
- Yeah. - So I said, okay, you know what? You take the order, you do what you want. So I get into the kitchen, I said, okay, I have six filets,
six lamb chops, let's make this, let's make that, let's get out. How many? fillets, six? Six lamp chops, put them here. I cook them for you. I say, you don't know, they want meat,
don't worry. One, I am preparing the fillet, I go out for the drinks, you make the sauces. (laughing) And we end up with such a nice atmosphere,
excellent food, 12 people very happy. After that, he said, "What else do you have to do?" I said, "Well, I have to take all the laundry "and put it somewhere,
fix the table, vacuum clean." He said, "I do all this." - He offered to do that. Just a guy walking up the street. - I got $200 tip from that table.
So I came to him. I said, "Please." when he finished to work said do you need me anymore said no but please if you don't accept me to give you some money accept the tip said look I am a surgeon in one of the best hospital in America do you think I need a tip you need the tip You are a wonderful lady.
You need more than that. I give you a hug. You know what? Go and get me a coffee. I was crying. I came back with the coffee.
The fellow disappeared. I never saw him again. I never met him again. I rushed in the street like a crazy person to look all over for him.
Maybe I could get him. Maybe I could disappear. But the most funny thing is the second night was Shabbat. Friday night.
The 12 people came back. The cook was there. I said I didn't expect you to come back.
I Didn't expect you. I was kissing them. I said, you know, you did my evening. You mean the food was okay The food was good Said it was more than good the waiter was excellent And you were excellent and the chef and the chef we want to to meet the chef so i take umran i said please umran here is the chef but i couldn't lie to them when they finish i said let me buy you a drink champagne whatever you want but
let me tell you a story i lie to you it was no chef no waiter, I was alone, I was lost.
An angel came, an angel left me when he finished his work. That was the story. What a fantastic story.
Katie, thank you for spending time with me today and for sharing. Thank you for inviting me. me. I feel I want to thank you for all what you do for me,
Dr. Bob. You do so much. And I have this occasion to say it. What you do for me, no one did in my life.
Thank you. You were dealt a very difficult time. I love you so much. Katie, and, you know,
it's my obligation, my pleasure, to help people like you, who have worked so hard,
who've never asked for help, okay? You were lying. on yourself, on your intelligence,
on your hard work, despite the difficulties in your life, the medical difficulties, the financial difficulties, and it's my honor to help people like you,
and I'm happy I can do it. And you do it so discreetly, so... so I don't know there is no people like you Dr.
Bob there is no people like you they disappeared maybe that doctor is like you in his own way hopefully he will watch this episode and maybe he'll get in touch with me so I'll put you in touch with him again that'd be good I wish I knew his name yeah nothing he just said he sent you into the kitchen for a coffee because he had done his job and he didn't want any more thanks.
He just floated away knowing that he helped someone. You know,
an example, and he's an example to all of my viewers, you know if You know, what are you gonna do with your money,
right? That's what it comes down to in life You've made money if you don't if you haven't different story, but if you've made money My experience is You should not give and I know amount of money to your children and on a future podcast,
maybe I'll go into that. It's not a good thing to do. Help people, help deserving people, help organizations if you know good philanthropic organizations and they're not all good.
Okay. Yes, you're going to get a great tax deduction or whatever, whichever 501c3 you may donate to, but but you got to look carefully at organizations and see that they're doing what you want them to do.
Most of them are not. Do you think Henry Ford or Lawrence Rockefeller or JD Rockefeller's money is being spent the way they wanted it to be spent?
Probably not. Or Carnegie? They'd roll over in their grave if they saw what those philanthropies are now supporting. So my advice to my readers is if you can,
help people in need, help people who you know. Of course you got to take care of your family, your children, your wife, your spouse. Do you meet somebody nice?
Do something nice. You'll feel better for it. All right, you'll feel better for it You can do it on an individual level You're gonna be very discreet very careful because there are too many people in the world who need help We can't help them all So use your heart and use your brain to choose people who are special like Katie Ohana Who have fortitude who have intellect who have ethics never asked for?
help. Never ask for help. Those are the people that I help. I seek out people in need, but not those who necessarily ask for help.
Professors who are fired because they're speaking freely in the classroom. I help them. All right. Politicians who stand for what's right and for just I Help them if I can So I'll tell you it's a good feeling to do it when you're alive You know leaving money in your will you're not gonna feel good about it Do good things when you're alive.
That's it for tonight. I want to thank you all for watching and if you've been this story, the story about Katie and Katie's restaurant,
then you can go to her restaurant website. Now, I was surprised that she has a website, to be honest with you, right before this podcast. I do a little work before I do the podcast,
of course. And I found that there is a website that she had a friend, a friend put it up. It's called katiesrestaurant .com and it's K -A -T -Y -S. -s dash restaurant .com or better yet the next time that you're in Jerusalem go to katies it's at two hasoreg street just ask anybody where katies is once you're in Jerusalem and she'll recount with you more fascinating stories over cocktails cocktails and a superb dinner.
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