Where Culinary Dreams Come True…

[Impressions of the Kosher Culinary Center by Tami R. Perl]

    The kosher food scene is having a growth spurt. Has the billion dollar kosher industry recently gotten a monetary advantage? Not exactly. Instead, with the digital age came the rise of food bloggers inspiring us with their food musings, millennials being introduced to contemporary food trends, and food enthusiasts willing to shell out a couple bucks for a more aesthetic meal.

At the center of that change, right on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, stands the Kosher Culinary Center. Food plays a crucial role here. It is appreciated and taught, rather than just consumed and taken for granted. Students come here with few preconceived notions. Some are looking for a career path, others just a night out with friends, but all leave awestruck.

As the late Chef Anthony Bourdain would say: “You take something with you, hopefully you leave something good behind.”

The Kosher Culinary Center was created a couple years after the gaping hole left by the closing of the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts [CKCA], by co-founders Chef Avram Wiseman ( the Dean of Students and Instructor) and Mrs. Perline Dayan (the Director and Administrator). Mrs. Perline Dayan also happens to be a former student of Chef Wiseman. Since its’ grand opening, doors have been open for career-seeking culinary students, for recreational classes for food enthusiasts wanting to brush up on their skills, and for an exciting number of parties and events for individuals with a penchant for good food.

For anyone looking for a career in the kosher culinary arts, there is only one place to go. As the only glatt kosher culinary licensed school in existence, it is figuratively and literally one of a kind. Students will be trained in traditional and modern culinary French, Italian, and Asian cuisines and all while sticking to the highest standards of Kashruth. Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a Certificate in Culinary Arts. Eligible students will also receive a Kashruth certification and a Food Handler license for those who pass the exam.

These days I am blessed to be a culinary student [in the 54 day program] under the guidance of Chef Avram Wiseman. Chef Avram is on a selfless mission to make sure that every student prospers and learns. His wit, charm, and a repertoire of vast culinary skills make this culinary program unique and exemplary. Every day is a unique learning experience and I find myself always leaving with a satiated mind, heart and soul.

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From the Ordinary to the Extraordinary…

[Commentary from Perline Dayan]

I have learned countless recipes and gained tremendous knowledge throughout my many years working with Chef Avram Wiseman. Surprisingly, the thing that sticks with me the most is that any way you slice it, it all comes down to the most crucial ingredient in any recipe…love. Love for cooking, and love for watching others enjoy what you have prepared for them.

To illustrate this point, this photo taken by me of Avram serving a salad to the coordinators of Kosherfest, captures the pride and joy Avram derives in turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Kosher Culinary Center had the privilige of hosting the new product competition for Kosherfest this year. Always wanting guests to feel pampered and well fed, Avram set out to prepare a nice lunch for the staff of Kosherfest which included a salad. Wanting to stick to a timeline, I informed the chef that the salad needed to be served already. He sternly advised me “give me three minutes! This salad will not just be thrown together! This will be the best salad they have ever tasted!” I waited impatiently as he instructed his assistant Lily Mishaan how to prepare the lettuce, cucumbers, artichoke hearts, carrots, and avocado. Finally, after dressing the salad and carefully and precisely placing an edible flower on top of the elegant creation, he presented it to the eager recipients. The words I heard as I walked away after snapping a quick photo stil rings in my ears today…”This is the best salad I ever had in my life!”