Israeli Chef Brings First Michelin Star to Kosher Dining

“Growing up in Jerusalem, I was surrounded by incredible flavors, spices and food that told stories,” Shabtai said.

By United with Israel Staff

An Israeli chef has made culinary history after his Miami restaurant became the only kosher establishment in the world currently holding a Michelin star.

Mutra, a North Miami restaurant owned by Jerusalem-born chef Raz Shabtai, was awarded a Michelin star Thursday as part of the Michelin Guide’s 2026 Florida selection. The recognition immediately drew attention across both the culinary and Jewish worlds, as many industry observers had long viewed earning a Michelin star under the constraints of kosher certification as a near-impossible challenge.

Opened in February 2025, Mutra specializes in contemporary Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine and operates under kosher supervision, closing on Fridays and Saturdays in observance of Shabbat.

The restaurant is named after Shabtai’s grandmother, whose cooking first inspired his passion for food while growing up in Jerusalem. As a child, he watched her prepare meals from a perch on the kitchen counter before eventually learning alongside her in the kitchen. The experience helped shape a culinary career that would later take him through some of Israel’s leading restaurants before bringing him to the United States.

Over the years, Shabtai worked his way through nearly every role in the restaurant industry, from dishwasher and server to chef. He later held positions at prominent restaurants in Israel and New York, including Allenby, Basta, Raphael, and Le Relais Jaffa, before relocating to South Florida, where he saw an opportunity to introduce a more ambitious vision of Israeli cuisine.

For Shabtai, the Michelin recognition represents more than a personal achievement.

“We’ve always believed kosher dining deserves the same ambition and creativity as any great restaurant in the world,” he said in a statement. “Growing up in Jerusalem, I was surrounded by incredible flavors, spices and food that told stories. I wanted to bring that same feeling here, not only for the local Jewish community, but for all of South Florida.”

The Michelin Guide, considered one of the world’s most influential restaurant rating systems, awards up to three stars to restaurants judged to offer exceptional cuisine. The anonymous inspections and exacting standards have made Michelin stars among the most coveted honors in the culinary industry.

Michelin inspectors described Mutra’s selection as a surprise, but one they believed was fully deserved. The restaurant was also the only new establishment in Miami-Dade County to earn a Michelin star this year.

For many in the Jewish and culinary worlds, the award is more than a restaurant accolade. It is a milestone for Israeli cuisine, proving that a kosher restaurant rooted in the flavors of Jerusalem can compete at the highest level of global fine dining.