Keeping Halacha in Culinary School
How in the world did I go to a non-kosher cooking school and still keeping halacha?
Well, I want to tell you that it’s possible. Whatever you want to do in life, most likely can be done in the realms of halacha…you just have to ask! When i went to my interview at ICE, I told them I was an Orthdox Jew and keep strict kosher. They replied by saying “you’re not the first, and you’re definitely not the last!”
So go for it, live your dream! (and don’t be afraid to ask questions (shaylot) along the way).
Halacha In a Non-Kosher Culinary School
(Note: I asked these questions for me from my rabbi. Always ask your personal rabbi)
1) Question: What can or can’t I eat/taste?
1) Answer: I cannot eat anything that is cooked in that facility because it is not kosher. I can, however, taste as long as I do not swallow.2) Question: a) Do I have to toivel my personal supplies even for cooking non kosher food?
b) and a later question I would have is can i use them again after school if I kasher them afterward?
2)Answer: a)Yes, because I own them. But, I sold them to a non Jew in my class for the year. So at this moment, I do not own my supplies and knives and therefore did not need to toivel them.
b) Gotta check back in later. Tool by tool basis.
3) Question: What can I not cook?
3) Answer: One cannot cook milk and meat together. Meat is referred to as any animal that is kosher, such as: beef, lamb, etc.
4) Question: If someone does the initial mixing of the milk and meat, can I finish it off, flip, mix and/or serve it?
4) Answer: Any participation in the cooking process is defined as “bishul/cooking”. Therefore, stirring a mixture of meat and milk over a source of heat would be bishul. Once again this only applies to milk and meat from an animal that is considered kosher, such as beef, lamb, etc. Chicken is rabbinic and under the circumstances I am allowed to cook it. Pork, rabbit, etc, is also allowed as they are not “kosher”. If I HAVE to cook milk and meat together because of the dish we are making, I put the recipe together and have a non Jew place the meat and milk dish in the oven or on the stove. When cooked, I remove it from the oven and can then plate the dish.
