Kosher Food and Drink

I imagine readers of this blog are probably starting to get tired of me waxing poetic about the kosher food situation in Houston, but unfortunately for you, I’ve got another reason to do just that.

Every year, the Houston Kashruth Association (HKA) puts on the Kosher Food and Wine Experience (KFWE) in conjunction with Royal Wine Corp. HKA is the main kosher certifying entity in Houston, and KFWE is a major fund-raising event for them. I’ve never been to KFWE before, or anything like it, so this was going to be a new experience for me.

The event was held on Thursday night, December 4, 2025, at Beth Yeshurun. Beth Yeshurun is a Conservative synagogue, and at least according to Wikipedia, it’s the largest one in the United States. I’ve never been to Beth Yeshurun before, and I was really rather impressed by the synagogue’s design and architecture. Between that and their catering kitchen’s cooperation with HKA, it was a great site for the event.

Walking in, I was greeted by numerous standing signs for various wines. You even got to try some of Vera Wang’s kosher (!) prosecco, which honestly just tasted like most wine to me (sorry, Kenny), but the novelty was pretty keen.

For those with an MVP pass (which included me – and I paid for mine), the party started early in the MVP room. Attendees were able to get a plate of delicious appetizers, some drinks, and have conversation with other MVPs. I ran into a friend from synagogue, and he laughed when I told him it was my first time. “This is nothing. Wait until the real party starts!”

At 7:15PM, the doors opened on the main auditorium, and I have to say: he wasn’t wrong. I was totally blown away by the size and depth of the kosher offerings on display. Moreover, this event was well-attended. There were hundreds of people there, and more were coming in as I was leaving. Numerous community rabbonim and leaders were in attendance as well. If there was a place to be that night in Houston’s Jewish community, KFWE at Beth Yeshurun was clearly the spot.

Participation from the Houston kosher restaurant and catering community appeared to be nearly universal, and tables were everywhere, heavily laden with food from each vendor. There were even a few smaller vendors (Cocoa & Batter and ZBiltong coming to mind), as well as a great showing from H-E-B’s (kosher) sushi chefs. I’d pick a favorite, but I can’t – everyone went all out in this event, and every table had some excellent offerings.

There was also wine flowing very freely. Royal, Herzog, Hagafen, and others were providing samples. There were also some cocktails available on demand, as well as a great roped-off VIP area to relax in. Alas, my readers know I don’t drink much, and I’m not a sommelier by any means, but if you are into wine, this event was a great way to sample quite a number of different products.

Besides being a fantastic fundraiser, KFWE firmly establishes Houston as a growing kosher powerhouse, with what appears to be a vibrant and bright future ahead of it. Besides just having a community that strongly supports kosher food, Houston has a community kashrus association that really markets and promotes kashrus and kosher establishments. That shouldn’t be as rare as it seems to be, but executive director Tzivia Weiss’ enthusiastic leadership appears to be the differentiating factor. If your local Vaad isn’t actively promoting kashrus and kosher establishments, you should ask them why – and then point to Houston as an example of what the possibilities really are.

For those of you who are local, I strongly encourage coming to KFWE next year. It’s a truly amazing event that supports a fantastic organization.