Eyal Shani, the Israeli celebrity chef known for his poetic odes to tomatoes and his passionate, almost theatrical approach to vegetables, is a culinary force whose influence now stretches from Tel Aviv to London and New York. While his London restaurants—Miznon in Notting Hill and the upscale Lilenblum in Shoreditch—have become hotspots for foodies, neither venue is kosher.
In sharp contrast, Shani’s recent expansion in New York has been marked by a string of kosher-certified openings, including the much-buzzed-about Malka Dumbo, his third kosher establishment in the city in less than a year.
This divergence between Shani’s kosher ventures in New York and his non-kosher approach in London raises a fascinating question: why does one of Israel’s most famous chefs embrace kosher certification so enthusiastically in the U.S., but not in the UK? Surely Central London’s discerning diners would like some high end alternatives to Tony Page or Reubens?
A Chef’s Journey: From Tel Aviv to Global Stardom
Shani’s culinary style is rooted in the terroir of Israel—its sun-drenched produce, olive oil, and the vibrant interplay of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. His reputation for speaking to vegetables with sultry reverence has made him both a subject of amusement and admiration. In London, his Miznon (Hebrew for “buffet”) in Notting Hill serves up inventive Israeli street food, while Lilenblum in Shoreditch offers a high-end dining experience named after a storied Tel Aviv street.
Both restaurants have found enthusiastic audiences, especially as Notting Hill’s Jewish population continues to grow. Yet, despite the area’s demographic shift and a surge in searches for “kosher restaurants London” and “kosher food near me,” Shani has not pursued kosher certification for his UK outposts.
New York: A Kosher Renaissance
Across the Atlantic, New York’s kosher scene is booming. The city’s Jewish population is both large and diverse, with a sophisticated kosher dining culture that rivals any in the world.
Eyal Shani told the New York Jewish Week “I found that I’m not just living in Israel as a cultural place that’s got some of the best food in the world. I also recognise that I belong to my people, to the Israeli people, and a big part of them are Jewish people. The terroir was changed from a geographic, cultural terroir into a national terroir.”
His kosher-certified restaurants in New York, including Malka Dumbo and Miznon Times Square, are a direct response to the “craving” among observant Jewish consumers for his food. “These people are part of my nation,” Shani said. “Part of my people. How can I make food without letting half of my people eat it? That is the main reason I opened Malka.”
Why Not London? The Freedom of Cooking and Market Realities
Despite the growing Jewish community in London and the city’s increasing appetite for kosher options, Shani has been clear about his reasons for not going kosher in the UK. “In the other restaurants in my life, I need the complete freedom of cooking,” he explained. Kosher certification comes with strict rules about sourcing, preparation, and supervision—constraints that can limit a chef’s creative expression, particularly in fine dining.
London’s kosher restaurant scene, while expanding, remains less developed than New York’s. The UK capital is home to many Israeli culinary stars—Yotam Ottolenghi, Roy Ner of Jeru, and Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich of Honey & Co—but few have chosen to go kosher. The logistical and financial hurdles are significant: kashering kitchens, sourcing strictly kosher ingredients, and maintaining rabbinic supervision all add complexity and cost, especially in a city where the kosher-keeping population is smaller and more dispersed than in New York.
A Tale of Two Cities: Community, Culture, and Kosher Cuisine
Shani’s decision reflects the broader realities of the global kosher market. In New York, kosher is mainstream, with a large, engaged customer base and a wealth of suppliers and infrastructure. In London, kosher dining is still a niche, often associated with tradition rather than innovation.
Yet Shani’s story is also one of evolving identity. His embrace of kosher in New York is as much about belonging and solidarity as it is about business. “The real thing I want to do in my life is to show the light that is coming out of kosher food—it doesn’t have to be a dark cuisine or limiting,” he said. “That is the reason why I continue to create a new kosher cuisine, and one of the best places to do it is in New York. It is filled with Jewish people.”
As London’s Jewish community continues to grow and diversify, and as demand for high-quality kosher experiences rises, perhaps the city will one day see its own kosher Eyal Shani venture. For now, Londoners will have to travel to New York—or dream of a future where the city’s kosher scene is as vibrant and innovative as its American counterpart.
But how does the tomato feel?? – (If you know, you know)
Image credit: Malka Dumbo NYC