JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Israeli economic newspaper Calcalist recently published an in-depth article on the growing trend of non-kosher restaurants converting to kosher—a shift that, until just a few years ago, was considered unthinkable in Tel Aviv, a city long associated with secular, free-spirited, and innovative cuisine.
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The story begins with the opening of “Rova Aleph”, a kosher restaurant led by chef Evyatar Malka, launched at the location previously occupied by “L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon”, a branch of the famed non-kosher French chef’s chain. The new restaurant now operates under an official kashrut certification from the Israeli Rabbinate.
Rova Aleph, Tel Aviv
But this isn’t an isolated case. Celebrity chef Haim Cohen, known for his unapologetically authentic Israeli cuisine, recently opened a kosher restaurant in Bnei Brak. The MachaneYehuda Group, headed by Assaf Granit, a Michelin star winning Israeli chef, opened two kosher establishments, and Yuval Ben Neriah—another Tel Aviv culinary icon—also made the shift last summer.
Yossi Ettinger, co-founder of the “DatiLicious” community with over 200,000 followers, says this change stems from genuine demand:
“Chefs who never considered this audience before are now realizing it’s a serious consumer force.”
His partner, Eli Helman, offers a socio-economic explanation:
“The charedi middle class has grown. Many are in high-tech, and since they don’t go to the movies or theater, dining out has become their main form of entertainment—even in upscale restaurants. You see couples spending 1,500 shekels($400) on a meal, and they keep kosher.”
While many welcome this shift, others strongly oppose it. Aviram Katz, owner of a Tel Aviv restaurant, doesn’t hide his stance:
“I’m open to everyone, but I oppose coercion. Being secular is a valid ideology. Kosher as an agenda stifles creativity. I don’t want to collaborate with a religious system that ties my hands. We believe in freedom, and we’ll fight for the right to serve pork.”
On the other hand, some restaurateurs speak of a more personal connection. Shahar Segal, partner of chef Eyal Shani, says that the interaction with the religious-Zionist public, especially during wartime, affirmed their decision:
“If I didn’t have a kosher certificate, I couldn’t serve 70% of our clientele. I’m a political person, and I don’t want to be closed off to only one group.”
Even Itzik HaGadol, one of Israel’s oldest meat restaurant institutions, recently opted for kosher certification. Owner Ben Assouline explains that the war and a personal spiritual awakening led to the decision:
“We wanted to do something for the soul and for family. In the six months since becoming kosher, we’ve maintained our revenue, but we’ve also seen how deep the change runs. We used to sell 100 fish dishes a week; now only 15. People ate fish because the meat wasn’t kosher.”
When asked if there were customers who opposed the change, Assouline confidently replies:
“A few. But for every one who left, dozens came—people who hadn’t eaten with us in 20 years. Now there’s a kippah-wearer at every second table—and it’s actually a nice sight.”
But not everyone shares the positive sentiment. In Jerusalem, where most restaurants are already kosher-certified, some secularist chefs feel like the last ones standing. Daniela Lerer, owner of a Jerusalem bar, expresses clear frustration:
“Every time I hear about another place going kosher—it feels like betrayal. Sure, it’s profitable, but are we living only for money? I’m proud not to have a kosher certificate, and I get angry when people ask if I do.”
The open question remains—is this just a passing trend, or a permanent transformation that will reshape the boundaries between religion and secularism, tradition and culinary creativity? One thing is certain: the success of these kosher chefs is leaving no one indifferent.
LOL. She feels betrayed by those going Kosher.
“are we living only for money?”
What is she living for, exactly?
Her religion of self?
Good for restaurants going kosher.
Bad for chareidim getting into dinners costing $400 a couple. Materialism is a cancer. It needs to be yanked out before it metastisizes.
Why are chefs at non kosher restaurants whining? Nobody is forcing them to go kosher
Something similar in a New York neighborhood about 25 years ago, as more and more observant Jews moved in. An establishment that had been open for a long time but was not Shomer Shabbat decided to become Shomer Shabbat and get a kashrut certification. The first week, a few people showed up after their Saturday morning tennis game at their club and found it closed; they came back the next day and yelled at the owner. His response: it’s business; what is better for me — to sell a few of you a bagel with a schmeer on Saturday or to sell fifty platters on Sunday?
If a restauranteur does not want to adhere to kosher standards, whatever the reasons, it is the height of hypocrisy to blame the customers for wanting to patronize only, or primarily, kosher restaurants whether for personal observance reasons or to make a statement of their own. If a chef’s entire sense of self-worth is entangled with being able to create and sell food free of kashrut restrictions but the customers have disappeared, I feel sorry for that chef’s solipsism of believing that the food business is about himself and not about what customers want.
I have perhaps more understanding for a long-time customer whose favorite restaurant no longer serves what he wants, but especially in TA it is hardly as if those who do not keep kosher lack choices.
well, in Israel, as well as abroad, the religious and charadi public is growing leaps and bounds, while the seculars are shrinking.
Want to make money? go where the money is at.
Kosher is jewish identity.The Chareidi and Extreme Chiloni have the same agenda.The Chareidi dont want the hindepart part of the cow the Chiloni react with pork.But most jews want neither of that they just want to be normal jews.
Will the establishment be open on yom Kippur?
All of these alleged kosher restaurants all under this mafia called hashgacha which is all a buisness as they can only use one supervision as all other are null and void and unacceptable unless you pay off the mafia . Best supervision is if you know the owners or eat at home as the pretentiousness ,and who can outdo the other in decor and style is wha it’s all about as good real food takes a backseat.