Israel welcomes first kosher gourmet experience

During the latest series of the Apprentice an unlikely discussion point has sparked. We’re not talking about the usual backstabbing, bitching or Lucinda’s berets but instead, cast your mind back to week seven when, during a task, one of the contestants bought halal instead of kosher chicken, highlighting a real lack of knowledge about the cultural significance of kosher food.

“Eating Kosher”, Israel’s first kosher gourmet festival takes place next week in Petach Tikva, a sleepy town to the east of Tel Aviv. The festival is being launched to showcase to festival goers just what a superb and gastronomic experience kosher food can be. Dozens of restaurants will be creating special menu selections for visitors and at only around £4 at the most for a dish, this is a great excuse to enjoy kosher food at its best.

Visitors to the festival can be sure that, all food has been prepared to the highest quality – where else can you get better kosher food, than Israel, where the tradition began many years ago.

“Eating Kosher” runs from 6pm to 11pm in the city’s Petach Tikva Park from Tuesday 17th to Thursday 19th June and will also feature performances by Israeli singers as well as numerous attractions and a spectacular fireworks show. Return flights from London to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport are available from around £140 per person with Thomsonfly. Petach Tikva is just a short bus ride or drive away from Tel Aviv city centre and entrance to the festival is free.

What is Kosher food?

Kosher food is more than just an issue of how an animal is slaughtered. The term itself actually applies to a wide range of food which needs to be ritually acceptable to conform to Jewish dietary laws. This includes anything from ingredients derived from meat to never mixing meat with dairy or wine with grape juice, among others. Even using cooking utensils and machinery previously used for non-kosher food, is strictly forbidden under the guidelines. The predominant difference between kosher and halal, is that unlike halal, kosher meat does not require a formal blessing following the slaughter.