In 1978, Delhi borne Reena was studying in a Mumbai school. Like all other teenagers, she too had colourful dreams for her future. But at the age of 16, she got married and could not attend college. Her husband Vinod was a captain at the Merchant Navy.

In September 2003, Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited India. Among his entourage, there was a 42-year-old sprightly lady— the only woman in the delegation. Yes, it was the same Reena Pushkarna who had let go of her college dreams but had ended up as Israel’s most successful Indian. Today, she runs seven Indian restaurants in Israel and has popularised several Indian dishes and is popularly known as the ‘Curry Queen’.
Reena was born to  a Sikh father and a Jewish mother. She later converted to Judaism when she immigrated to Israel in 1983. While travelling with her husband, she had come into contact with several chefs from around the world and from them, she learnt the fine art of cooking.

In 1983, the Pushkarnas opened a small Indian food joint named 'Ichakdana' in Tel Aviv. At that time, Israelis knew little or nothing about Indian cuisine. They knew only Raj Kapoor and his famous film 'Shri 420'. This was the beginning of her journey. As most of the Israelis are very religious, they were not willing to try Indian food and vegetarian cuisine. They had not even heard of the word ‘curry’.

As a result, 'Ichakdana' did not do well and Vinod was ready to go back to Sea. But Reena persuaded him to give it another chance. So they opened a Restaurant called 'Tandoori' where they offered authentic North Indian food. She hit the jackpot when she started Israel’s only 'Kosher' Indian restaurant. Dietary laws of Judaism prescribe separation of milk and meat products. Both are never mixed and even cooked together simultaneously in the same kitchen.

However Indian cuisine often relies on blending yoghurt with chicken, which is a religious taboo for the Jews. Therefore, Reena developed a substitute for milk/yoghurt in Parev milk (made of soy bean powder). She even replaced cheese by Parev milk retaining the original flavour of milk cheese! Even to a Indian food expert, it is difficult to make out the difference in taste.

This trend spread to all seven branches across the country and she became the first one to start the first Kosher Indian Restaurant in the world.

Her 'Tandoori' in Tel Aviv was the first location of choice for the peace talks between the Israelis, Palestinians and Norweigians. In 1992, when BBC has telecasted the first handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Robin and Palestinian leader Yaser Arafat on the lawns of White House, they suddenly showed 'Tandoori' and divulged that the peace talks did not commence in Jerusalem or in Oslo, but in 'Tandoori'-Tel Aviv.

In August 2001, Pushkarnas brought the concept of branded ethnic foods and forged a joint venture with Israel's largest supermarket-Super Sol (170 branches). Reena and her chefs successfully married tradition with technology giving customers a welcome break from tasteless tinned and dehydrated food packed with unsuitable ingredients. Reena's food used cutting technology to prepare the classical ethnic recipes. Her food is also served in the Israeli army and on board International airlines such as Elal, Air India, Air Korea etc.

Prime Ministers, presidents and diplomats are frequent visitors of 'Tandoori'.  " I was really afraid when I got a invitation from Georgetown University to give a talk to 900 MBA students," says Pushkarna. But after her talk, everyone was very impressed about her success story and no one was ready to accept that she has not entered the college for education!

Even though Reena is settled in Israel from the past 24 years, she has very high respect and love for India and also for Indian traditions. She now dreams of opening an Israeli restaurant in India and to introduce Israeli culture among Indians.