Rosh Hashanah Rush at Fairway

Fairway Having one of the largest kosher meat markets in the area, Fairway Market is gearing up for the onrush of Rosh Hashanah which starts this Friday evening. We scheduled an interview with Ray Venezia, Fairway Market's meat director. Ray not only knows the regular meat department needs, but is fully aware of the orthodoxy needed to have certified kosher meats. To prove it, he took Sophie Stone and me for a fast look at his pre-holiday super busy kosher department.

Ray was like a little child when he pointed to two new arrivals, a kosher chicken barbecue with storage. He introduced us to the supervising rabbi who was checking the chicken to make sure that it conformed to kosher standards so that he could put his required stamp of approval on the food. In another part of the beehive area, someone else was cutting meat for the packages.

When Ray was asked why he didn't have kosher meat unpackaged, he explained that it might not conform to kosher requirements and that he was sure that his packaged meats were 100% kosher and met all the requirements. This way, there was no chance of treif (unkosher meat) being mixed in. If it says kosher, it is kosher. Not only that, but at Fairway, prices are not raised because of the demand factor.

Ray, Sophie and I learned that we share a common passion for food. As Ray said, to him this isn't a job, it isn't work, it is a life! Having been in the business for over 30 years, Ray has worked from the ground up and still works on the floor from time to time. This gives him a feel for the customer's needs.

His love of Fairway and its meat department is very evident. Ray has been responsible for innovations. When ordering meat, one comes in direct contact with the butcher, not a cello wrapped package. They are qualified to not only give you the cut you desire, but can, like the old time grocer, tell you ways to prepare it.

A poignant question: "Why should people buy kosher products even if they are not kosher or Jewish?" The answer: "Because it is kept to strict standards and compares to free range and organic non kosher foods. As a matter of fact, in many cases, it is less expensive to buy kosher meats and chickens than the organics and free range that are in demand."

On the way out, we also stopped off at Fairway's Catering Department and chatted with Jennifer Fellman, Catering Manager. She has a list of foods for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur available. Despite a disclaimer that prepared foods are not kosher, smoked fish platters, herring, lox, sturgeon, sable sound kosher to me. if your order is placed by noon, Wednesday, September 23rd, it has to be picked up by 4 PM on that day.

Oh yes, Sophie was so enthralled by my description of a 2" piece of prime strip steak and its taste, that she stopped by the regular meat department to purchase it. As I told, her and Ray, the price for the prime cut, not usually available elsewhere, was well worth it. One would pay more than double for a piece of prime steak at a restaurant.

Ray commented that his kosher meats are kept to those same high standards.