7 Kosher Cooking Classes in NYC and NJ

We’ve compiled a list of 7 Kosher cooking classes in NYC and NJ for those who love to cook but need to keep it Kosher.

If you are interested in learning how to cook, New York City pretty much has every kind of cooking class you can think of. From crepe making to pasta making, to Asian food and desserts, you can find a class to teach you all the tools of the trade. If you want to learn how to create ingredient-heavy Indian dishes, check out our article on 4 Indian cooking classes in NYC and NJ. With so many classes available, you can even find classes meeting religious and dietary restrictions. And with New York City’s large Jewish population, it’s not hard to find Kosher cooking classes that adhere to the laws of the Torah.

Torah is a Hebrew word which means instruction or teaching and Judaism has the Torah as their central reference for their beliefs. People who follow Judaism also learn here what are the permitted and forbidden foods to consume, according to Judaism 101. For animals, the Kosher practice calls that you must only eat those that both chew food and have crack hooves, otherwise if these two are not present or if only one of these two is present, that animal should not be eaten. Another food that is not to be eaten are species that have wings, however, any fish that resides in sea and freshwater are allowed to be eaten as long as it has both scales and fins. For the dairy products, it can be quite complicated. A milk should come from a kosher animal because if it is from a Kosher animal then it is also considered as Kosher. While there are guidelines on the permitted animal and dairy to consume, there is also a guideline as to how to slaughter the meat that you want to eat. A single cut across the throat with a particular depth which would cause the animal to bleed to death is the way to slaughter an animal preserving it being Kosher. In this case, the person doing this job should be skilled and trained to perform such kind of slaughter.

Vegetables must also be approved as Kosher by a Rabbinical organization before it qualifies. They also undergo insect infestation inspection. This process is the same for various fruits. A Mashgiach is the one who certifies that the food is kosher, giving it a go signal if it is kosher or not. Because of the changes in the food industry where most of our food contains processed ingredients, the ones giving kosher certification are already dealing with this matter. Kosher cooking may be complicated and there are a lot of regulations to follow but looking at these regulations, it ensures the cleanliness and health factors of the foods being consumed.

As you can see there are many factors that determine what makes food Kosher, and if you must adhere to those laws, you want a cooking class that will do the same. To gather research for our list, we consulted the database at Class Curious where you can find classes on just about anything in New York City. We also relied on Google to gather reviews and other information on the programs. This list is ranked in no particular order and is meant to provide suggestions for different Kosher cooking classes.

Put your apron on and get ready for out list of 7 Kosher cooking classes in NYC and NJ.

7. JCC Culinary Arts

JCC Culinary Arts practices the Jewish values during their classes. They have various programs not only in the culinary field, but also in performing arts. Dairy and meat cooking classes which meet the Kosher standards are both offered here specifically in their Patti Gelman Culinary Arts Center.

6. De Gustibus Cooking School

There are a lot of classes taught by world class chefs that are happening at De Gustibus Cooking School. For a kosher cooking class, they invite chefs like Isaac Bernstein who is the Culinary Director of Pomegranate, a premier supermarket. All classes under him are definitely strictly Kosher.

5. Your Soul Kitchen

Anything abiding Kosher dietary laws is what is being served by Chef Shlomo Schwartz at Your Soul Kitchen. He conducts customized classes in the comfort of your home and regularly teaches at CKCA culinary school in NYC. He will teach you everything you need to know down to the cutting of foods, to the art of plating.

4. Haven’s Kitchen

Haven’s Kitchen, the next one on the list of Kosher cooking classes in NYC and NJ is inspired by home cooking recipes where you really cook from scratch. Here you will encounter cuisines from around the globe. If there’s no schedule yet for a class you want to attend, you can opt for booking a private event.

3. Natural Kitchen Cooking School

Spearheaded by Christine Waltermyer is Natural Kitchen Cooking School. They have a 4 month training program where all cuisines are plant-based. They also conduct private cooking classes.  Here you will learn proper knife skills and all natural cooking landing it a spot on our list of Kosher cooking classes in NYC and NJ.

2. Natural Gourmet Institute

Originally born in Dr. Annemarie Colbin’s apartment is National Gourmet Institute. Their program that ranks second on our list of Kosher cooking classes in NYC and NJ is focused on health and this is the theme of their culinary education. The calendar of activities has different types of classes, but all are inspired by Dr. Colbin’s principle which should be whole, seasonal, local, traditional, balanced, fresh and delicious.

1. Kosher Culinary Center

To complete our list is Kosher Culinary Center. This one’s pretty self-explanatory, and they will equip you with the knowledge you will forever carry about all the techniques of Kosher cooking. Along with that knowledge, you will learn important skills as well. They even have a great baking class.

That wraps up our list of 7 Kosher cooking classes in NYC and NJ, good luck with learning some new and handy cooking techniques.