With the recent increase in popularity of private chefs in the kosher world, a new kosher food podcast hosted an event featuring some of the best the industry has to offer.

“Glatt,” a new biweekly podcast hosted by the power couple behind Fleishigs magazine (Shlomo and Shifra Klein) takes on topics all over the kosher world from recipes to restaurants and from holidays to hosting. The podcast is produced in partnership with Kosher.com, which hosted the launch event at their headquarters in Bayonne.

The test kitchen that is usually used to produce videos was outfitted with a small dining room for the guests. Members of the kosher food media were treated to an incredible event with an 11-course dinner, each plate being made by a different private chef. Tuscanini (the gourmet Italian kosher food brand) and Marble & Grain (the high quality meat distributor) sponsored the event to display their amazing products to both the chefs and guests.

Each of the chefs got to speak a little bit about themselves and their dish, and each course was paired with a different wine selection that was introduced by Gabriel Geller, director of press relations, advertising and wine education for Royal Wine Corp.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the whole night was the story of the group of private chefs and how they came together. They call themselves the Chefs of the Round Table and their partnership is both one of friendship and necessity.

Founded by Chef Mendy Wolf, the Chefs of the Round Table came about after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the industry and created new opportunities for private kosher chefs. “With so much growth in the field, the chefs needed a platform to be able to connect with each other,” said Wolf. “I felt the need to form the group that started with a handful of chefs and has now grown to over 60 of us around the country.”

While the “Glatt” launch party was certainly a huge undertaking, it wasn’t the group’s first event. In order to display their talents, Chef Yosef Safdieh created the idea of the chefs coming together to host events. This event was coordinated by Chef Alegra Hadriye and was quite the sight to behold. The chefs were truly working as a team to help each other plate their dishes in order to get everything to the tables in a timely fashion.

The dinner featured dishes crafted by the following chefs: Shmuly Kohn, Michelle Soussan, Yitz Spitz, Ayshel Ashkenazi, Avi Katz, Yosef Safdieh, Hudi Riven, Hillie Ackerman, Hillel Braun, Mendy Wolf and Effy Friedman.

“The idea of the Chefs of the Round Table is to be a platform and network for chefs to be able to connect with other chefs, help each other, gain support, learn from one another, and develop relationships,” said Wolf. “Honestly, I’ve become very good friends with many of the chefs through the power of the group.”

All of this is really about putting the world of kosher private chefs on the map. Before the pandemic, most private chefs in the kosher world were only doing the work part-time. Maybe they had another job in the kosher food industry (like working for a restaurant or caterer, or even as a cookbook author or content creator), but private chefery wasn’t a full-time job for many. But now, the industry has exploded.

One reason might be that the kosher consumer understands the possibilities more than before. In the old days, vacations meant tuna sandwiches, packaged stuff from the local grocery store, and fresh fruits or vegetables. But in the world of taking your extended family of 20-30 people to some remote location and staying in a massive Airbnb, perhaps hiring a private chef to buy and cook everything makes more sense.

As more people from the Orthodox world branch out further, they are still going to need food to eat. Private chefs make that possible. They can also make things a little easier when it comes to private events. Why miss your own dinner party by being stuck in the kitchen if you can hire a professional to take care of everything instead?

“This is my full-time job now,” Wolf said about the new landscape. “I do everything from date nights to dinner parties in people’s homes to corporate events to vacations. I’ve even done a wedding.”

The thing that really made an impression on the diners was just how much the chefs were out to help each other. They spoke about being able to find work for other members and teaming up to take on jobs that might be too big for one chef alone. The vibe was one of real partnership, not competitiveness veiled in niceties.

At the event, chefs described their techniques to fascinated diners. Whether it was how to make sure your salmon has the perfect crispy skin (Kohn) or how to toast lentils to give your harira soup texture (Soussan), there were plenty of great tips to go around.

The food itself, of course, was also a highlight of the night. Riven’s duet of duck featured a beautiful roulade of duck leg stuffed with farro and squash, a perfectly cooked slice of seared duck breast, and even a piece of duck gribenes for extra credit. Going in a more singular direction, Braun served up a rib roast that nobody would dream of declining. But the best bite of the night may have been Wolf’s lamb filet with blueberry au jus. The inventive pairing was one of three lamb presentations on his dish, yet it stole the show.

If you want to learn more about the private chef renaissance in the kosher food world, make sure to listen to the upcoming “Glatt” episode that features Wolf and Ackerman. The video format of Glatt can be viewed online at Kosher.com and the audio can be found on any of the major podcast apps.

That’s applications, not appetizers.

Nati Burnside is a freelance writer living in Fair Lawn and is a man of many interests. He can be reached at [email protected].