K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Leading Non-Kosher Restaurants Convert To Kosher As Chefs Identify New Culinary Trends

April 23, 2025 from 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.

"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.

"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.'

"'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.'

"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: '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.'

"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."