Kosher restaurant in Miami wins Michelin star, making global culinary history

Mutra in North Miami has only been open a year and now it has won a Michelin star. Not only that, but it has become the world’s only kosher restaurant to hold one.

Israeli-born chef Raz Shabtai, who has worked in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, New York and now South Florida, opened his restaurant year ago. The menu explores influences from North Africa, Eastern Europe, the Levant and beyond, inspired by the multicultural food traditions of Jerusalem. It is named after Shabtai’s late grandmother.

Perhaps most surprisingly of all for a restaurant with this accolade, it is located inside an unassuming North Miami shopping centre.

“We’ve always believed kosher dining deserves the same ambition and creativity as any great restaurant in the world,” says Shabtai. “Growing up in Jerusalem, I was surrounded by incredible flavours, 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 restaurant posted an an emotional video on Instagram showing Shabtai and his team crying, cheering and embracing as they learned they had earned the Michelin Star.

Michelin inspectors praised the restaurant’s hyperlocal philosophy and highlighted dishes including its beet preparation with ajo blanco and beetroot sorbet, the signature lamb kebab with smoked eggplant cream and tomato oil, and chicken a la Tunis served with harissa-studded chickpea tomato stew and couscous.

“Israeli Chef Raz Shabtai has brought his take on classic Middle Eastern cuisine to diners in sunny Miami,” inspectors wrote in their official notes.

On June 1 the restaurant is launching its summer menu, built around Shabtai’s latest philosophy of “less is more”. Dishes will be stripped down to their essential ingredients while placing greater focus on technique and product quality.

New offerings will include “Can’t Be Beet!,” a reimagined version of the restaurant’s signature beet dish featuring white Albino beets prepared four ways: sorbet, espuma, ajoblanco, and pickled.

Another addition is “Double or Nothing,” a ravioli doppio with mushroom duxelles and vegan feta foam served alongside Dover sole en papillote with local corn velouté and Calabrian chili oil.

The menu will also introduce Korean Musakhan, a playful interpretation of the classic Levantine dish made with Yemenite lachuch flatbread, overnight short ribs, sumac-pickled onions, Korean vinaigrette, and fresh herbs.