Question for those who keep a kosher kitchen

18 years ago

I've seen some lovely kitchens designed for kosher cooks, with 2 dishwashers and so forth. It suddenly occurred to me to wonder: was washing up segregated like this in the days before dishwashers? How was this accomplished? Did your moms/grandmothers have separate dishpans for the milk vs. meat dishes? We used to visit and stay over with kosher friends when I was a kid, and I know that they only had one fridge so they must have kept both meat and milk items in the same fridge, but I never noticed if there was anything different about washing dishes..

Featured Answer

ellene613

18 years ago

I keep a strictly kosher home and am also a kitchen designer specializing in kosher kitchens. Before we remodeled I had a single sink with 2 grids and dishpans in order to keep dairy and meat items completely separate. Almost all of my clients put "2 sinks" very high on their wish list. Right now I am designing a kitchen with 3 sinks -- the third one is for veggies and baking, activities that are neither milk nor meat.

Someone who keeps strictly kosher can get by with one oven but needs to either: cover dairy items if the oven is used primarily for meat dishes (or vice versa), clean the oven between milk and meat (or run self-clean), or keep a separate toaster oven for dairy. In designing kosher kitchens with space constraints I sometimes spec a convection microhood above the range or a 2-oven range such as the Maytag Gemini.

Refrigerators are different in that in Jewish law the rules for milk and meat mishaps are much more stringent for hot items than cold ones. What has become a problem with fridges is digital readouts, computerized sensors, etc. -- something like the problems with ovens. The misnamed Sabbath mode on ovens only became necessary when computerized circuit boards made things like the auto shutoff standard.

Separate sinks, 2 dishwashers, and 2 ranges or ovens (and sometimes a third oven for baking) are not necessities, but they make keeping kosher much easier and free up time for other mitzvahs.

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Comments (7)

rgillman
18 years ago
My grandparents, who were kosher, had one refrigerator Since they never ate meat and milk at the same meal, they hand-washed (they had no dishwasher) all the meat dishes together and all the dairy dishes together - different meals, obviously - but in the same sink. They also had only one oven, one small gas range, and managed just fine.
They did not go crazy - but just used common sense.
fnzzy
18 years ago
since we're on this topic, can someone explain to me what the "sabbath" setting is on my range? I'm assuming it has something to do with cooking regulations on the Sabbath, but I have no real idea. I'm just curious.
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daki
18 years ago
I'm not Jewish, but Sabbath mode on a range/ oven overrides the automatic shutoff on an oven so you can turn on the oven to a set temperature prior to Sundown on Friday (or prior to the start of a holy day), and be able to use the oven during the entire holy period without creating a spark or flame. It also turns off displays and beeps.
fnzzy
18 years ago
Thank you both ! Being Catholic myself, I always find Jewish laws quite interesting to learn about. So rich with tradition and heritage and so full of mystery to me!
tina999
18 years ago
Ellen, can i ask you a question?
I have a kosher kitchen with a double sink. I have installed two food disposers in my sink - no problems, since the drains are in the center.
Now, with the renovation in the kitchen, i was wondering - can i get a sink, where the drains are of the center, but rather to the side? Will i be able to put my two disposers in?
Incidentally, do i need to replace those disposers?
PRO
Rachiele Custom Sinks
last year
I’ve spent the last couple decades designing kitchens, especially for clients who keep kosher. One thing that’s always bothered me is how many “kosher” sinks on the market still have a shared drain system—two bowls, but one trap or disposal. From a halachic and practical standpoint, that can be problematic.

I ended up working on a solution that has two completely separated bowls with independent drains—no shared plumbing at all. Each side can be designated for meat or dairy, or one for prep and the other for cleaning. It also supports full accessory separation and is made from 316L stainless, which is ideal for kashering.

I’m not trying to pitch a product here—just genuinely want to share what I’ve seen lacking in most options marketed as “kosher-friendly.” If anyone’s planning a kitchen reno or wants to geek out on kosher kitchen logistics, I’m happy to share more.