The Kosher Kitchen

The home is a central institution of Jewish religion.

--Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson in his book “It’s a Mitzvah!” (1995)

The Laguna Beach couple’s kitchen has two of everything. Two dishwashers, two sinks, two refrigerators, even two trash cans.

Why the culinary double-vision?

It’s kosher.

The wife, who asked that her and her husband’s names not be used, said the 500-square-foot kitchen adheres to Jewish dietary laws by preventing meat- and milk-based foods to mingle during preparation. Though many Jews accomplish this by simply using two sets of dishes, she stressed that her family’s costly approach leaves no doubt.

A little extreme? She concedes that some people may think that, but it makes divine sense to her.

“It’s not necessary to have as large or as divided a kitchen,” the homeowner said. “People manage to observe the laws without duplicates of everything. In my husband’s son and daughter-in-law’s small apartment in Israel, they observe with just separate dishes.

“But having our kitchen organized makes it very easy to follow the laws. My husband was raised in an Orthodox home, and when we planned this new home, he wanted to renew some of the more important practices that he learned growing up but had not continued.”

To ensure foods are kosher (which means “fit” or “ proper”), Jews follow the dietary laws (sh’mirat kashrut) from the Torah and fully explained in the Talmud. One of the most important tenets is that separate utensils, pots, pans and dishes be used for meat and milk, said Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson of Congregation Eilat in Mission Viejo. Milk symbolizes life because it sustains infants, and a mingling of milk and meat is considered unclean.

“If you want to take a lesson seriously, you need to repeat it several times, and one thing people do often is eat,” he said. “Through eating, we establish who we are and what our values are. Kashrut establishes our connection to God and to the Bible every time we sit down for a meal. It teaches reverence for life and all of God’s creations.”

The Laguna Beach couple’s devotion isn’t limited to the kitchen. There’s a mezuza at the front door that holds verses from Hebrew scriptures, including the Shema, a prayer that reminds them of their commitment to Jewish values.

A menorah is displayed on a sideboard in the dining room when not placed in the window during Hanukkah. Small figurines the couple received when they were married in Israel in 1993 decorate rooms throughout the 6,000-square-foot, oceanfront home.

But the kitchen is easily the most dramatic sign of their Judaism. The area has duplicate work stations, microwaves and storage areas for separate dishes, utensils and other cooking items.

What’s required for all this, besides commitment?

About $85,000 for the appliances, granite counter tops and cabinetry.

Such expense isn’t necessary for everyone, Artson said.

“You don’t need two refrigerators, just two sets of dishes,” he said. “If you build it up gradually, it’s not an overwhelming cost, particularly if you consider what you’re getting back for what you’re paying. It’s a journey. It shouldn’t be an economic hardship.”

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This was the first kosher kitchen for Terri Salazar, who has designed her share of kitchens. Salazar, who owns Kitchens del Mar in Corona del Mar, accepted the job after meeting with the homeowners and their architect, Brion S. Jeannette.

Salazar said the layout is a reflection of how kitchens have evolved in two decades from being just cabinetry and a work space to becoming part of the family’s lifestyle.

“The [Laguna Beach kitchen] is a good example; it celebrates the old tradition in a modern setting,” she said. “It’s a true kosher kitchen in the ceremonial sense, but it also functions as a kitchen for their household.”

The kitchen is on the fourth of five levels, near the dining/living area/media center. Its most obvious features--besides the great ocean view--are the two islands, separate work stations for meat and dairy products.

Each of the facing islands has its own cooking space with a Blanco silicon quartz sink, Bosch dishwasher and Broan trash compactor. Cast lighting is suspended from poles over each island. A Dacor six-burner gas cooktop combined with a Thermador barbecue is next to the double oven. There are two Sub Zero refrigerators and GE Monogram microwaves.

Snaidero cabinetry was imported from Italy and finished in a white, high-gloss lacquer with blue trim that matches the granite counter tops. The floor is Italian gray-white polished marble.

“The colors are serene but contemporary and reminiscent of the ocean,” Salazar said, adding that it took two years of working with the architect to take the kitchen from design to reality.

Architect Jeannette has worked on several kosher kitchens. Jeannette & Associates in Newport Beach has designed for kosher restaurants and has done some “kosherlike” kitchens.

“In others, we have built the two areas apart, but we didn’t have as much space as we did here,” Jeannette says. “Being Jewish myself, I understand the principles and why it needs to be this way. This is quite specific for their needs.”