{"id":709053,"date":"2026-06-01T21:37:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T21:37:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/709053\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T21:37:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T21:37:16","slug":"for-the-first-time-a-kosher-restaurant-has-won-a-michelin-star-the-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/709053\/","title":{"rendered":"For the first time, a kosher restaurant has won a Michelin star \u2013 The Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Raz<\/p>\n

Raz Shabtai, the founder of, Mutra, a kosher restaurant in Miami. Courtesy of N.A. Photography<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBy Grace Gilson<\/a><\/p>\n

\n May 31, 2026\n <\/p>\n

(JTA<\/a>) \u2014 As golden confetti rained down around him Thursday, Israeli chef Raz Shabtai broke down in tears and was embraced by his cheering staff.<\/p>\n

Moments earlier, a livestreamed Michelin ceremony had announced that his Miami restaurant, Mutra, had become the first kosher restaurant ever awarded a Michelin star, long regarded as the highest honor in the restaurant industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a moment of joy, it\u2019s a moment of pride, it\u2019s a moment of relief, it\u2019s a moment of confirmation,\u201d Shabtai told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency Friday. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about Mustra getting that star, but it\u2019s about the entire Jewish community getting that, and I felt a lot of responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shabtai, who has worked in kitchens across New York and Israel, opened Mutra in February 2025, naming the kosher eatery after his Jerusalem-born grandmother whose cooking he said heavily inspires its menu.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really like to call the restaurant Jerusalem cuisine versus Mediterranean and Middle Eastern or Israeli or stuff like that, because the flavors that I\u2019m trying to bring to the table, it\u2019s flavors that came from memories and visiting in the market with my grandma,\u201d Shabtai said. \u201cI have to be very loyal to what my grandma fed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

A description of Mutra on the Michelin website<\/a> praised the restaurant\u2019s \u201cshow-stopping plate of beets in a pool of ajo blanco and topped with beetroot sorbet\u201d and \u201csignature lamb kebab with smoked aubergine cream and tomato oil.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsraeli Chef Raz Shabtai has brought his take on Middle Eastern cuisine to Miami,\u201d the Michelin inspectors wrote. \u201cNamed for his grandmother, this is a place where snagging a seat at the chef\u2019s counter is a must.\u201d<\/p>\n

The award places Mutra among the world\u2019s most celebrated restaurants and marks a breakthrough for kosher cuisine, which operates under strict dietary rules. For Shabtai, who has kept kosher for more than a decade, the award proved that culinary excellence can thrive under those constraints.<\/p>\n

\u201cKosher is a beautiful spiritual way of me to bond with God, and the limitation that he gave me, but yet to do amazing good food that everybody can eat,\u201d\u00a0Shabtai said.<\/p>\n

The recognition arrived after months of suspense. Shabtai said that Michelin inspectors visited the restaurant several times before sending an email in February requesting information and photos about the establishment, a sign he said alerted them that they were under consideration.<\/p>\n

For Noa Figari, Mutra\u2019s director of operations who joined the team after first working as Shabtai\u2019s real estate agent to find the Miami location, the announcement Thursday was a \u201crelease.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the hard work that we put has been, you know, validated,\u201d Figari said. \u201cWe carry a responsibility not only just for Raz\u2019s cuisine, but for the whole entire Jewish community and kosher world we made history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Shabtai said he hoped the achievement would inspire other kosher chefs.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe proud of where you\u2019re coming from, get connected to those roots that you have,\u201d Shabtai said. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s not going to be a smooth sail. It\u2019s okay, learn how to fix it, but believe in yourself. Don\u2019t ever compromise, and don\u2019t let other people compromise you.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared<\/a> on JTA.org.<\/p>\n

Hello, fellow Forward reader! I\u2019m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today\u2019s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward\u2019s independence \u2014 made possible by the generosity of its membership.<\/p>\n

The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.<\/p>\n

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.<\/p>\n

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