‘Kosher’ is a Hebrew word meaning ‘to make fit for use’. It relates to what and how food is prepared, produced, and eaten according to the Jewish dietary law. Kosher laws are complex, but this article focuses on the fundamentals of kashrut (ritual suitability) and how kosher rules impact the plumbing design and maintenance of a kitchen.
Kashrut. requires the complete separation of dairy and meat. They must be stored, prepared, and eaten separately and have separate utensils, crockery, appliances, cookware, and equipment. This includes the areas used to clean the products and any items used to prepare and consume the foods.
For this reason, most kosher kitchens have two separate metal sinks, one for dairy and one for meat. Double sinks are not ideal as it is difficult to prevent spills and splashes from one to the other. If a single sink is used, it will require kashering (making kosher), i.e. a thorough cleaning, waiting 24 hours, then rinse the sink, taps and edges with boiling water. The same applies to a dishwasher, although this can be more challenging as some dishwashers contain many plastic components, which, according to some orthodox rabbis, is not kasherable.
Another consideration in an orthodox kosher kitchen is drainage; separating the drainage of the sink and dishwasher used for meat from the drainage of the sink and dishwasher used for dairy ensures that there is no chance of backflow due to blocked drains, which could potentially render the sink and dishwasher unkosher.
To ensure that you plumb your new or renovated kitchen in keeping with kashrut, consult a plumber with knowledge on how to plumb both an orthodox and conservative kosher kitchen.
