MasterChef Israel launched on Channel 2 (Keshet) in October 2010, becoming one of the country’s most beloved reality formats and eventually earning multiple Israeli Television Academy Awards for Best Reality Program. Here’s the complete breakdown of the show’s first two champions.
Quick Reference: MasterChef Israel Winners (Season 1–2)
| עונה (Season) | שנה (Year) | זוכה (Winner) | מקום שני (Runner-up) | מקום שלישי (3rd Place) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010 | Ina Kravetsky (אינה קראבצקי) | Elkana Biton (אלקנה ביטון) | Smadar Vaknin (סמדר וקנין) |
| 2 | 2011 | Avi Levi (אבי לוי) | — | — |
Season 1 (2010): Ina Kravetsky
MasterChef Israel premiered on Channel 2 on 14 October 2010, introducing the British cooking competition format to Israeli audiences for the first time. Ina Kravetsky was crowned the country’s very first MasterChef champion, beating runner-up Elkana Biton (2nd place) and Smadar Vaknin (3rd place) in the grand finale, which aired on 27 November 2010.
The debut season was a massive hit with Israeli viewers, and one of Ina’s signature dishes — an egg yolk ravioli — became one of the franchise’s most fondly remembered recipes, still referenced by fans and judges years later as a defining dish of the show’s earliest era.
Judges: Haim Cohen, Eyal Shani, Rafi Eder, Michal Ansky
Season 2 (2011): Avi Levi
Season 2 aired through September 2011 and crowned Avi Levi as champion, continuing the franchise’s early momentum. The season maintained much of the same judging panel chemistry that had made Season 1 such a success, though Yonatan Roshfeld joined the panel starting this season, continuing through Season 6.
Judges: Haim Cohen, Eyal Shani, Yonatan Roshfeld, Michal Ansky
MasterChef Israel: Quick Facts (Seasons 1–2)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Network | Channel 2 (Keshet), later Keshet 12 from 2017 |
| Format Basis | MasterChef UK |
| Production | Gil Productions |
| Premiere | 14 October 2010 |
| Season 1 Finale | 27 November 2010, with a historic 46.6% viewership rating |
Judges Across the Early Seasons
The original judging panel that defined MasterChef Israel’s early identity included:
- Haim Cohen — one of Israel’s most respected and recognizable chefs, a constant presence in the show’s formative years
- Eyal Shani — internationally celebrated Israeli chef and restaurateur
- Rafi Eder — judge for Season 1 specifically
- Michal Ansky — food critic, remained a fixture across nearly every season through the All-Stars editions
- Yonatan Roshfeld — joined starting Season 2, judging through Season 6
What Came After Season 2?
The franchise has continued to thrive for over a decade, with a Junior/Kids special season following shortly after (2012, won by Daniel Tirosh), and the main series continuing through 11+ regular seasons plus multiple VIP/celebrity specials:
| Season | Winner |
|---|---|
| 3 (2013) | Tom Franz |
| 4 (2014) | Nof Atamna-Ismail |
| VIP Season | Shai Avivi |
| 5 (2015) | Massimiliano Di Matteo |
| 6 (2016) | Tom Aviv |
| 7 (2017–18) | Yehuda Amar |
| 8 (2019) | Vanessa Vidal Avitan |
| 9 (2020–22) | Itayela Hyatt |
| 10 (2022) | Hillel Gardi (“Decade Season”) |
| 11 (2024) | Natalie Mizrahi Amral |
MasterChef Israel won the Israeli Television Academy Award for Best Reality Program in both 2015 and 2017.
Fun Facts About MasterChef Israel
- Historic viewership: The Season 1 finale drew a staggering 46.6% rating, one of the highest in Israeli reality TV history
- Iconic dish: Ina Kravetsky’s egg yolk ravioli from Season 1 remains a fan-favorite reference point years later
- Judge continuity: Michal Ansky has been one of the most consistent judges across the franchise’s entire run
FAQs
Who won the first season of MasterChef Israel? Ina Kravetsky won Season 1 in 2010, with the finale drawing a historic 46.6% rating.
Who won MasterChef Israel Season 2? Avi Levi claimed the title in 2011.
Who are the judges of MasterChef Israel? The original panel featured Haim Cohen, Eyal Shani, Rafi Eder (Season 1), and Michal Ansky, with Yonatan Roshfeld joining from Season 2.
Which network airs MasterChef Israel? Channel 2 (Keshet), which later became Keshet 12 in 2017.
Is there a Junior or VIP version of MasterChef Israel? Yes — a Kids special aired in 2012 (won by Daniel Tirosh), and multiple VIP/celebrity seasons have aired since, including wins by actor Shai Avivi and singer Itay Levi.