Last week, Mutra, a kosher restaurant based out of Miami, made history by being the very first Michelin star Kosher restaurant award. This accolade has not just significance for the establishment and the chef behind the food, who is Raz Shabtai, but also to the entire kosher cuisine culture.
Since opening its doors in February 2025, Mutra, the first Michelin-star kosher restaurant, has been the brainchild of the Israeli chef Raz Shabtai, who has chosen to name the restaurant after his Jerusalem-born grandmother whose cuisine and experiences with her still influence the restaurant’s cuisine.
Some customers would classify the food as Mediterranean, Middle Eastern or Israeli food. But Raz prefers a different nomenclature for his food, referring to it as just ‘Jerusalem cuisine.’ To the chef, this cuisine is based on reminiscences of his past life, trips to the markets of Jerusalem, and tastes that were served to him by his grandmother.
According to the Michelin Guide, Mutra was commended due to the innovative and elegant meals that it had to offer. Some of the innovative dishes include beet accompanied by ajo blanco and beet sorbet. Another dish worthy of mention is the lamb kebab with smoked aubergine cream and tomato oil.
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels
The accomplishment is particularly commendable as Mutra adheres to the rigorous requirements of being kosher. The process of preparing food in kosher facilities involves the adherence to strict guidelines about ingredients and food preparation. Though such restrictions can prove limiting to some cooks, for Raz Shabtai, they present opportunities for creativity.
For him, the first Michelin-star kosher restaurant is an example of how exceptional food can be made even under such restrictions. This cook considers kosher cooking to be spiritual work, which gives him the opportunity to feel God’s presence in the restaurant.
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.