In memory of slain lookout Roni Eshel, who was killed in battle on October 7 on her base in Nahal Oz, her parents, Eyal and Sharon Eshel, shared her love for cooking and cuisine in a Facebook post.
The family uploaded photos and recipes of Roni's favorite dish that she used to make at home: Brioche challah with a fried egg and toppings.
Executives of the Greg Cafe chain who came across the post immediately chose to pick up the gauntlet and add the sandwich to its new menu for the summer of 2024, under the name Roni's Sandwich.
Eshel, who served in the 414th Observation Battalion the Nahal Oz outpost, lost contact with her family for over a month, which led her family members to believe that she had been kidnapped to Gaza. After about a month of uncertainty about her condition, her body was identified.
Yariv Ganish, manager of the Greg Cafe chain, invited Roni's parents on Sunday to the Greg Kfar Saba branch to be the first to taste Roni's Sandwich. The meeting between Greg's management and the family included the presentation of the dish that Roni loved to prepare every Saturday morning: a sandwich consisting of 2 slices of buttery brioche challah fried generously in olive oil, spread with a layer of cream cheese, thin slices of tomato, slices of avocado and an egg fried in butter.
Greg's management informed the family that the sandwich will be served as a special dish from March 17 to May 30 in all chain branches nationwide. The story of her courage will appear on the menu adjacent to the dish.
Ganish said: "We came across the post about the late Roni Eshel, with her love and passion for food, and I felt it was our obligation to find creative ways to continue the path of those who are no longer with us."
Roni's father, Eyal Eshel: "We are so excited by the extraordinary gesture of Cafe Greg. Our Roni loved to cook and bake, and we passed a dish in her name that will be served in a respected chain like Greg, which has over 100 branches throughout the country, and is another creative way to commemorate her. We are happy because her commemoration will be part of other people's entertainment."
Price of the dish: NIS 57 served with a personal salad
Recipe:
• Fry a slice of challah in olive oil
• Spread 9% or higher cream cheese
• Place thin slices of tomato
• Add a slice of avocado with lemon juice and a little salt
• Fry an egg in butter
• Add salt and ground pepper on top
Bon appetit!