We kosher a kitchen for a camp two days before the group arrives, but the decisions come much earlier: whether the venue gives the kitchen exclusively, which appliances can be koshered and which we replace with our own, and how the kitchen is split into dairy, meat and parve. Here is the plan we use for camps and longer stays.
Before the contract: we look at the kitchen
Before confirming we can work there, we see the kitchen on site or in photos and ask the venue a few things:
- what equipment it has: stoves (gas, induction), ovens (with a Sabbath mode or not), dishwashers, fridges and freezers, sinks;
- whether the kitchen can be exclusive from two days before arrival until departure, and whether we can lock it;
- which surfaces must not be treated with boiling water or heat (some worktops and coatings);
- how many sockets and circuits there are - platas and urns are added for Shabbat;
- whether a separate room or part of the kitchen can be used for dairy.
What we kosher and what we bring
What is koshered, and how, is decided by the mashgiach to the standard set by the group's rabbi. In practice it usually looks like this:
- we kosher: steel sinks and worktops, burners and grates, some appliances and large metal vessels - after a deep clean, with boiling water or fire;
- we cover: surfaces that cannot be koshered but are needed for work;
- we bring our own: pots, pans, boards, knives and small equipment, separate for meat and dairy, clearly marked; plus platas and urns for Shabbat;
- we take out of use: anything that can be neither koshered nor replaced, such as the venue's dishwasher at times - then we organize washing differently.
What the koshering day looks like from the inside is in our piece kosher kitchen for groups - menu and koshering.
The koshering day
- Morning: a deep clean of the whole kitchen and an inspection with the mashgiach - cupboards, shelves, sinks, appliances.
- Then: koshering surfaces and appliances, covering worktops, setting up our own equipment in zones.
- Finally: marking the zones (dairy, meat, parve), locking the kitchen, receiving the first product deliveries.
The koshering itself takes from a few hours to more than ten. It depends on the size of the kitchen, how many people work on it, and how willingly the venue's staff help. That is why we do it two days before the group arrives - the exact timing is agreed with the group - and agree with the venue in advance who will be on site, and when.
Splitting the kitchen at a camp
At a large children's or youth camp the simplest and safest layout is a meat and parve kitchen with parve breakfasts (for example with cheese substitutes and plant milk). The risk of a mix-up practically disappears. For smaller adult groups, dairy breakfasts work with a separate table and separate cups in a different color. Meat and dairy are never served at the same meal.
During the camp
- the kitchen is locked whenever our team is not working; the mashgiach or the head of the kitchen holds the key;
- every delivery is checked (hechsher, seals) before it enters the kitchen;
- venue staff work as usual in their own areas - our team works in the kitchen, and any help from the venue is agreed in writing;
- the supervising rabbi may come for an inspection - the kitchen and paperwork are always ready to show.
After the camp
We take our equipment, clean the kitchen and hand it back to the venue in the condition agreed before arrival. We note what is left of the products, so nothing goes to waste, and what to change for the next stay at the same place.
If the venue will not give the kitchen
Then it is catering from a kosher kitchen, double wrapped, and a room for platas and urns. That works for short stays; for a camp of a week or two with mehadrin it is better to find a venue that will give the kitchen. If a hall is missing, a tent can be added on the grounds.
Frequently asked questions
How long does koshering a kitchen take?
From a few hours to more than ten - depending on the size of the kitchen, how many people work on it and how the venue's staff cooperate. We do it two days before the group arrives (we agree the exact timing with the group), and we see the kitchen, or ask for photos, before the contract.
Can a dishwasher and an oven be koshered?
It depends on the appliance and on the decision of the mashgiach and the group's rabbi. It is often simpler not to use the venue's dishwasher and to wash by hand or in a separate area, and to kosher the ovens or work with our own containers. We decide after seeing the kitchen.
Can the dairy and meat kitchens share one room?
Yes, with clearly separated zones, equipment and dishes. At large children's camps we often simplify: parve breakfasts, and the whole kitchen meat and parve - then the risk of a mix-up practically disappears.
What does the venue need to prepare?
A kitchen free of its own production for the stay, information about appliances and surfaces that must not be treated with boiling water or heat, and permission to lock the kitchen. We bring and do the rest.
SEBIR koshers venue kitchens and cooks for camps, seminars and conferences in Poland and Europe, to the standard set by the group's rabbi, with a mashgiach on site.
Prepared by the SEBIR team. Since 2023 we have been running kosher kitchens and Shabbat for Jewish groups in Poland and Europe. Last updated: October 2026. If something here is out of date, write to info@sebir.pl - we will check and correct it.