Round Tables by American Express, the international culinary festival that brings together the world’s best restaurants and chefs, is once again underway in Israel. This year’s event features 13 internationally acclaimed restaurants from New York, Paris, Madrid, Copenhagen, Lisbon, New Delhi, Miami, La Paz, Lima, and Bangkok.

Five of the visiting chefs are from restaurants ranked in the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and four of them are from Michelin starred restaurants.

The 2016 Round Tables by American Express festival highlights the sense of living in a global village: Australian chef David Thompson won a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to traditional Thai cuisine; Danish chef Kamilla Seidler is dubbed the queen of Bolivian cuisine; and chef Matt Lambert brings New Zealand’s cuisine to New York.

“The Israel Ministry of Tourism is proud to partner with the Round Tables project as we believe that gastronomy can generate tourism, especially in Israel, a country that has so much to offer in this area. In the last few years, Israel has become a culinary destination for the international Foodies’ community,” said Amir Halevi, Tourism Ministry Director-General.

The festival pairs an international restaurant with a local one. Every hosting restaurant will serve an outstanding tasting menu, featuring the signature dishes of the guest restaurant, seasoned with a pinch of local flavors and ingredients inspired by the Israeli chef.

Organizers expect 13,000 diners to take part in this year’s happening.