What makes a restaurant kosher?

Answer 1

Basically three things: (1) the kind of meat it is (the meat from certain animals can never be kosher, like pork), (2) whether the animal was alive and not sick at the time it was slaughtered (dead animals can not become kosher through butchering and even if an animal looks ok alive if when slaughtered it is found to have been ill internally it can no longer be treated as kosher), and (3) how it was slaughtered (proper ritual slaughter with a cut to the jugular vein and its blood drained as much as possible). In addition, there are special prayers said particularly during the ritual slaughter, but that is not critical as such.

Answer 2

Any land animal that both chews its cud and has split hooves is a kosher animal. The animal must be slaughtered and the meat processed correctly in order for the meat to be considered kosher though.

Answer 3

The core rules of kashrut (dietary laws) are:

* Land animals must have split hooves and chew their cud.

* Fish have to have scales and fins.

* Birds cannot be amongst those listed as forbidden in the Torah and cannot be hunters/scavengers

* Animals must be killed in a specific manner and must be free of all disease

* As much blood as possible must be removed from meat as consumption of blood is forbidden

* Dairy and meat cannot be combined in the same meal and there's a waiting period between eating one then the other.

* Orthodox Jews and some Conservative Jews will not eat certain fruits and vegetables because it's too difficult to guarantee that all bugs have been washed away (cauliflower, asparagus, and the like).

Additionally, food must be prepared and handled following kashrut. Any food that does not meet these requirements cannot be eaten by those who are religiously observant.

Answer 4

In order to be kosher, a restaurant must:

Use only kosher ingredients and products

Have staff who know the Jewish laws of keeping meat and dairy (and their utensils) separate

Check the fruits and vegetables to make sure they're insect-free

Not be open on the Jewish Sabbath or certain festivals

Have certification of Rabbinical supervision (preferably with a permanently employed kosher-supervisor [mashgiach] on site full-time).

Have a new kitchen and utensils. If they purchase their premises already used, the kitchen has to be koshered by a mashgiach.