Kosher Kitchens: What Are They & Why Are They Important in Jewish Culture?

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Learn the layout and purpose of a kosher kitchen in Judaism

Co-authored by Johnathan Fuentes Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: September 6, 2023 Fact Checked

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Why Have a Kosher Kitchen?

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Making a Kitchen Kosher for Passover

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Kosher kitchens are all over TikTok these days, and for good reason; they’re an essential part of Jewish tradition, and countless TikTokers are rightfully proud to talk about theirs. But if you’re not Jewish or particularly religious, you might be wondering what it all means. This article explains what a kosher kitchen is and why this tradition is so important to many Jews around the world. We’ll also cover how kitchens are made kosher, and why certain Jewish sects are more likely to maintain kosher kitchens than others. Read on to learn all about this unique, ancient Jewish practice.

Things You Should Know

Kosher kitchens separate meat and dairy according to Jewish customs. Separate appliances and cooking supplies are used for meat and dairy.
All food in a kosher kitchen must be kosher per Jewish dietary laws, called “kashrut.” For instance, kosher meat can only come from certain animals.
Some Jewish sects, like Orthodox Jews, keep kosher at all times. A few sects mainly keep kosher during holidays, like Passover.

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Kosher Kitchens, Explained

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Kosher kitchens separate meat and dairy, per Jewish dietary laws. These dietary laws, known as kashrut, dictate that meat and dairy should never be prepared, cooked, or eaten together. ^{[1]
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Research source} Jewish households that abide by these laws will have separate dishes, utensils, mixers, ovens, toasters, sinks, and dishwashers for meat and dairy products. This ensures that meat and dairy products never come into contact with one another. ^{[2]
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- When using a single stove, meat items are cooked on one side and dairy is cooked on the other. Individual kitchen sinks are split with a divider so that dairy dishes can be washed separately from meat dishes.
- In a pantry or refrigerator, dairy and meat can be stored together since they’re not being cooked or prepared there. However, they should be individually wrapped or packaged to keep them separate.
- At the dinner table, meat and dairy are never served at the same time, though they may sit side-by-side in separate trays in places where people aren’t eating, such as on a serving table.
- When transitioning between meat and dairy dishes, the dinner table is cleaned, the tablecloth is changed, and separate dishes and utensils are used. Any bread eaten with meat cannot be eaten with dairy, and vice versa.
- In some sects, such as Sephardic Judaism, observant Jews must wait at least six hours after eating meat before consuming dairy products, and vice versa. ^{[3]
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They can only contain foods that are considered kosher under Jewish law. In addition to requiring that meat and dairy be kept separate, Jewish dietary laws only allow products from specific kinds of animals, and only if those animals are slaughtered in a specific way. Certain breads, fruits, and vegetables are also forbidden, depending on how they are prepared. To be considered kosher, food must be prepared using kosher equipment and procedures, from start to finish. ^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment
Program in the University of Kentucky devoted to scientific research and public education
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- Meat and dairy must come from ruminant animals with split hooves such as cows, goats, sheep, and lambs—or from non-predatory, non-scavenging birds like chickens, turkeys, and quails.
- Meat from non-ruminant animals like pigs, rabbits, and squirrels is not allowed. Neither is meat from the hind part of an animal, like a sirloin or flank steak, or any meat from predatory or scavenging birds like eagles, vultures, and hawks.
- Animals must be slaughtered by a certified butcher called a “shochet,” who uses a long knife to slice the animal’s throat, severing its windpipe and esophagus, but not its spinal cord. The animal’s meat must be soaked in water to remove all traces of blood before cooking.
- Fish with scales and fins are allowed, such as tuna and salmon, but other water-dwelling animals like shrimp, frogs, or oysters are not kosher. Since fish is not considered “meat” under Jewish law, kosher fish can be prepared and eaten alongside dairy.
- Unprocessed grains, fruits, and vegetables are generally kosher as long as they are not prepared with shortening from non-kosher animals.