To ask about Kosher food?

[QueenRefusenik]

I'm running an event tomorrow and Friday. As part of the registration process attendees were asked about dietary requirements which were duly passed on to the catering company we're obliged to use. Catering was booked and confirmed two weeks ago, so I was a bit surprised to get an email yesterday afternoon saying they couldn't cater for the one person who indicated they needed Kosher food.

Lack of notice is one thing, but what I'm really asking whether AIBU about is whether not being able to provide Kosher food is reasonable at all? I have a vague idea of what Kosher food is, but no experience of trying to source it. IS it difficult to provide?

If anyone has any ideas about how to proceed please weigh in! Do I tell this person there will be no food (there are lots of bought food options nearby) so they can source their own (if possible? This isn't a very big or cosmopolitan town!). Do I/can I source some food myself to offer them? Any suggestions about what if anything could I get from the big Asda/medium co-op/Tesco express that are all nearby?

I just feel really bad telling this poor person everyone else is catered for and they will just have to fend for themselves!

That's really crap on behalf of your caterer. Can you contact the person and ask if vegetarian food would be suitable? It might not be if they are very strict. Vegan food will be kosher in principle but some very observang Jews won't eat it unless it's been approved by a Rabbi.

Otherwise, check out www.hermolis.com/ but it may be too short notice.

Observang == observant!

I'd explain to them that they need to source something - a lot of it is to do with where it's been prepared, and with what (not mixing certain types of food even in the same oven etc) and to be properly kosher it needs not to have been handled by someone who isn't Jewish.

"The Torah says: "You may not cook a young animal in the milk of its mother" (Ex.23:19). From this, it is derived that milk and meat products may not be mixed together. Not only may they not be cooked together, but they may not be served together on the same table and surely not eaten at the same time. This rule is scrupulously upheld in observant Jewish households, even in the handling of utensils, which are carefully separated into “fleishig” (meat) and “milchig” (dairy) and separately labeled. By strict observance of these laws, they become an everyday habit. After meat meals, one must wait one, three, or six hours – depending on one’s custom - before eating dairy. After dairy consumption, no interval is required before meat may be eaten."

Safest bet is to let them sort it out themselves or to at least say "oh I'm not that strict about it, I just don't want any pork or shellfish etc"

If you end up totally stuck today and local supermarkets can't help ocado have a pretty big Kosher range and you may be able to get some stuff you could serve from that. Be aware though that full kosher will require separate plates and utensils I'm not great on fully observant kosher catering but would play safe with new paper plates and plastic cutlery. Just washing stuff that has been used before for non kosher food wouldn't be enough for a strictly observant Jew. If possible I'd get in touch with the guest and ask what they would like to do as well. They may want to bring their own food instead.

What very said. I'd worry that they're very observant if they're requesting it especially, and if so I expect your best bet is a flying visit to the nearest Kosher food shop for something. Or, I know that Waitrose, Tesco and a few others offer Kosher food for sale online for home delivery, so you can go that route.

Is it possibly an issue of cross contamination? Stricter observers of kosher have separate utensils for meat and dairy and the company may be concerned that they can't guarantee that the two elements will be completely separate.

I would get in touch with the guest and explain the situation. Tell them you are happy to source something from ocado's kosher range (if possible) and would that be acceptable or would that prefer to bring their own food.

I went on a course a few months ago where we were asked for dietary requirements and one of the options was kosher (bring a packed lunch) I thought it was odd but I am.not familiar with kosher food prep so perhaps it is easier for people to provide their own?

I used to organise events and separate kosher catering and it was furiously expensive compared to the other catering. Was all wrapped and had to be stored separately to everything else. This was 10 years ago though so things might have changed, but we had a duty to provide catering for everyone regardless of requirements so organising themselves wasn’t an option.

The bigger Tesco stores have a range of Kosher food. Also you could look into sourcing a local Kosher butchers if there are any nearby.

Things might have changed in the catering world, not kosher requirements!

Very poor of them to let you know last minute! I wouldn't expect them to be able to produce kosher food themselves but I'd expect them to be able to get it!

I used to work in event catering and we used Hermolis, linked to above. I

justkosher.co.uk does deliveries.

They may not be strictly observant so I would personally ask them if vegetarian would be ok? If not as others have suggested Ocado, Tesco and Sainsbury's all have good kosher ranges! I'm not sure where you are but if you can find your nearest kosher bakery/butcher they may be able to make up a small platter for one person. Good luck!

If someone has specifically asked for kosher over vegetarian then its definitely not ok to ask if veggie would be ok. There are plenty of kosher shops that will deliver and you need to make sure food is served on disposable plates. I would also not be paying the catering company full cost as they have let you down last minute.

I'm assuminh that you aren't in London but if you aren't far from Manchester/Leeds/Birmingham/Liverpool you'll be able to find a kosher deli that will knock up some sandwiches. If not, I second the recommendation for Hermolis.

To be fair they wouldn't be able to serve full kosher foods unless someone working their was also kosher as strict observers require the food to be prepared by only orthodox hands. Also if strict you will not be able to 'get from Waitrose' as this would need cooking/preparing to eat and you couldn't do this unless orthodox. If they are strict thy will know it's common place that they cannot be catered for, you really need to phone and chat as also veggie is often unsuitable due to what can be eaten at the same time/on the same plate/if not strict they may accept things like milk content. Real mindfield. Don't assume anything.

Thanks all, this is really helpful! Sounds like the catering company aren't being completely unreasonable and providing Kosher food is trickier than i'd thought. More notice would obviously have been helpful and I will raise that with them but in the meantime it sounds like the safest option is to speak to the attendee and ask if they'd like me to order them something externally or if they'd prefer to sort themselves out!

I just feel it reflects really badly on us that we can't cater for them, grr!

If the person requested it at such short notice, they do shoulder some of the blame. That said, Hermolis tend to be very good and can probably do you something in the timescales.

I wouldn't go out and buy Kosher food as, depending on their level of observance, they may not eat off the plates.

I'll check out hermiolis, thanks for the tip, but it turns out there is a Jewish deli not very far away from the venue so I think the best thing to do is send them there (a bit worried based on what I've learned from this thread that going and buying it for them might make it non-kosher!). Phew, at least they're not completely stuck.

Still think it's a bit crap of our caterers though, think I will try and raise this with them (especially the lack of notice!).

Yes Hermolis rings a bell, I’m sure it was them we used. They were very good.

Its likely that the caterers put it down as an option but never intend on catering it, they wouldn't be the first. With bigger orders its worth them outsourcing it but not for one order.

If there's a fully kosher deli explain the situation and they may be able to put a box together. If it is marked kosher and sealed then that will do most people, but a phonecall to the attendee to check wouldn't hurt. If they are very observant they may want to get it themselves, in which case I would set them a budget and have them stick to that.

a bit worried based on what I've learned from this thread that going and buying it for them might make it non-kosher!

This is very unlikely, but the easiest thing is to phone the person and ask - "We want to make sure we're able to cater for you. I was going to go to [name of shop] and buy a [thing] - will that work for you? Would plastic cutlery/crockery be OK, or would you prefer to bring your own?"

Honestly, as a much less observant Jew, they won't take offence.

NB - things like salad leaves also need to be rinsed / washed to a degree that most people would find excessive, so if the outcome of your chat is that they are very observant, don't add anything to the plate beyond what you buy from the kosher deli, even if it seems innocuous.

I think it depends on how know she'd you guest wants the food. If they just need kosher meat and no meat/dairy mix then you could just offer a vegetarian/vegan option but if they need the whole separate kitchens thing then I guess you may be a bit stuck.

They need to be reimbursed if they buy their own, otherwise you have treated them differently, because they have a religious requirement.

Speaking as someone who has organised events.

They may refuse, which is fine, but you need to offer, if they are going to be the only person not being given a free meal.

The Caterers could have easily sourced a Kosher meal and it should be put on their advertising that they can't.

Agree totally re the reimbursement thing! I do think it's pretty shit on the part of the caterers so I'll definitely pursue it with them! At the very least if they can't provide it should be flagged somewhere in all their info!