Chutzpah Kitchen Celebrates Anniversary!
Congratulations on your restaurant in Westfield! How is it going so far?
Thank you! We just celebrated our first anniversary in Westfield and we are loving the community so far.
You have vast experience in this business. Please tell us a bit about yourself and your path to success.
I have always had a passion for the food industry, I have been working in the kitchen since I was fourteen years old in Israel. I then followed my zeal for cooking and entered a culinary school in Israel called Tadmor Tourism and Culinary Academy. I love the hustle and bustle of a kitchen as well as connecting with the customers. After moving to NYC, I managed several cafes and I have been the owner of Cafe Delectica in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan since 2008. Aside from being a local cafe, Delectica specializes in catering for corporate meetings, lunches, as well as other events. I have had the idea of opening an authentic middle-eastern street food shop for a while, and when the perfect location became available, I opened my first Chutzpah Kitchen in 2020 in Maplewood. Westfield followed in September of 2022.
Why was it important to you to open in Westfield? How do you like downtown and the community?
I have always loved Westfield’s downtown. My wife grew up nearby, so we frequently visited Westfield and I was always charmed by the lovely downtown, as it reminded me of what I saw in movies growing up. When the time was right to expand, I knew I wanted my next location to be in Westfield. The community has been great so far. We’ve been getting lots of positive feedback and love. I hope the support continues and grows!
Tell us about your wonderful menu and tasty food!
The concept was to introduce authentic recipes and menu items from my childhood in Israel, going to traditional falafel shops and adding a bit of a “chutzpah-twist.” For instance, the labneh dip is served with fire-roasted beets and not just pita. (Making it gluten-free). We kick up a traditional babaganoush a few notches by removing mayo (making it vegan) and adding pomegranate seeds and cherry tomatoes. A special feature in the Westfield location is the shawarma on a spit, which is as traditional middle-eastern as it gets. The ultimate street food and we elevate it with our house made sauces and toppings.
How do the residents order the food? Is it dine-in or pickup, or both?
Customers can order online, by phone, or in person. We do both dine-in and take out. As well as catering. Customers can also order through the delivery apps. We also recently added family meals which have been pretty popular for take-out, especially for busy weeknights.
As a business owner, please tell us how others can learn from your commitment and inspiration?
It’s all about hard-work and commitment. There are no days off, even if on vacation, I need to be on top of what is happening at my stores and make sure everything is running as smoothly as possible and our customers are happy and satisfied.
Anything else we missed?
We can cater events of almost any size and are able to customize a menu that works perfectly for the client. From hummus to flowers to equipment rental, we can make any event special and delicious.
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