meet the kosher restaurant expert helping travelers find food w

Elan Kornblum is likely the world’s leading expert on kosher dining. For more than 22 years, he’s been covering the kosher food scene — first through a print magazine and now via a Facebook group with over 130,000 members, all passionate about one thing: where to find great kosher food around the globe. “I eat for a living,” he jokes.

According to Kornblum, the kosher dining world is undergoing the same transformations seen in the broader restaurant industry, with ethnic cuisine now emerging as the dominant trend. “Across the U.S., ethnic restaurants are popping up more — Georgian, Bukharian, Russian, Indian. Of course, you’ve still got the staples like Italian and Japanese. But ethnic is what’s growing.”

Immersion Restaurant in Tel Aviv; ‘People want experiences, not just food’

(Photo: Courtesy of the restaurant)

He also notes the spread of “ghost kitchens,” particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. “You’ve got commissaries running four different cuisines from one kitchen — Chinese, American, Italian — all delivered from the same place. It’s cost-effective, no waiters, no storefront. And the food’s often great.”

What other trends are you noticing?

“People go out to eat for the experience now,” he said. “If they want food, they can stay home. But if you’re going out, you want a show — you want something unique.”

He mentions Immersion in Tel Aviv, a gourmet kosher restaurant that combines 3D graphics, tech and design. “It’s expensive, but people are willing to pay for the experience,” he says. “Same with Pitmaster — they offer a meat show. It’s not just a steak on a plate.”

Do non-Jews also dine at kosher restaurants abroad?

Running a kosher restaurant isn’t easy. “People think, ‘Oh, I know how to cook, I’ll open a kosher place.’ But it’s so much more than that,” he says. “Labor, rent, kosher supervision — it all adds up.”

But good kosher food can appeal to everyone. “In New York, a lot of non-Jews eat at kosher restaurants — especially for business meetings. Places like Reserve Cut and Barnea cater to that professional crowd. They’re upscale, polished, people go for the food.”

Is the “Instagram-worthy dish” trend affecting the kosher restaurant scene?

Kornblum is also wary of social media and artificial intelligence distorting how people perceive food. “I see a lot of fake videos — AI-generated dishes, celebrity endorsements that didn’t happen. It’s a big problem,” he says. “People are constantly asking me: ‘Is this real?’ A lot of times, we don’t know.”

Elan Kornblum, Kosher Food Expert
Photo: Courtesy

He insists on authenticity. “I never post filtered photos. I tell the restaurant: serve me exactly what you serve customers. I don’t want people thinking I got something special. If a dish looks good but doesn’t taste good, what’s the point?”

Which kosher restaurants in Israel do you like?

“Behind Paris, Israel has probably the best kosher restaurants in the world,” he says. “You’ve got everything — shawarma, falafel, street food, high-end places. I could eat at a different place every day for a year and love it.”

But he’s especially drawn to simplicity. “Some of the best meals are just schnitzel and chips. Israeli chefs really get that — take something basic and elevate it just a little. It works, especially with today’s prices. Not everyone can drop 300 shekels on steak.”

Any recommendations in Israel and New York?

“They’re not necessarily the best restaurants, but I’ve had great experiences,” he says. “Decks and Pagoda in Tiberias were fantastic — right on the water, great family memories. Pitmaster is also great for meat lovers.”

In New York, he recommends Barnea in Manhattan and Le Marais, a French kosher classic that’s been serving customers for over 30 years. “It’s always consistent, always good.”

What’s the most surprising place you found kosher restaurants?

“Panama City,” he says. “They’ve got nearly 40 kosher restaurants. The Jewish community is very social — they love to go out.”

He also highlights kosher tourism in the Caribbean. “There are resorts in the Bahamas and Aruba with year-round kosher options, full Shabbat services, everything. Kosher cruises are also booming. People want real meals, not just salad and fruit for a week. It’s about having the full vacation experience — while keeping kosher.”