Levana Kirschenbaum is an American restaurateur, caterer, cooking teacher and food writer. She is almost always referred to solely by her given name, Levana.[1]

Childhood, education and personal life

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Levana was born and reared in Morocco.[2][3] She studied in France, and immigrated to the United States in 1972.[4] She is married to Maurice Kirschenbaum, they have three children.[4]

Career

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Levana has taught kosher cooking classes, written cookbooks, and run a catering service and a bakery, but is probably best known as one of the partners in Levana's Restaurant.[4][1][5][6]

Levana opened a kosher bakery on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in 1976.[4]

Restaurant

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Levana’s was a fine dining restaurant in Manhattan, now defunct after more than thirty years in business.[4]

Levana’s was credited with "pioneering" the category of fine dining for a kosher observant clientele.[7][8]

The restaurant, located in Manhattan's Lincoln Square neighborhood, opened in the 1970s and was owned and operated by the Kirschenbaum family, including its namesake, Levana Kirschenbaum, her husband Maurice, his brother Sol, and a third brother.[4][7][9] The manager was Sol Kirschenbaum.[10]

Cookbooks

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  • Levana Cooks
  • Lévana's Table: Kosher Cooking for Everyone (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2002)[2][11][6]
  • Lévana Cooks DairyFree![12]
  • The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen: Glorious Meals Pure and Simple[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b Billet, Felisa (8 June 2005). "Shavuot holiday rich in creamy traditions". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  2. ^ a b Nathan, Joan (27 November 2002). "Just Right for the First Night of Hanukkah". New York Times. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  3. ^ Goodman, Matthew (18 December 1998). "The Food Maven: Remembering the Tastes of the Mellah". The Forward.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Brawarsky, Sandee (5 February 2016). "Levana's Meal Replacements". New York Jewish Week.
  5. ^ Fabricant, Florence (13 November 1991). "Food Notes". New York Times.
  6. ^ a b "Books for Kosher Cooks". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. 6 January 2003.
  7. ^ a b Max, Rebecca Flint (24 May 2013). "Why Are New York's Chefs Afraid of This Man?". Grub Street. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  8. ^ Witchel, Alex (27 September 2000). "Kosher: If You Only Could See It Now". New York Times. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  9. ^ Goldberg, Carey (11 February 1996). "Haute Kosher: Perfect Business for Gluttons for Punishment". New York Times. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  10. ^ Kleiman, Dena (27 September 1989). "Kosher Cooking: Goodbye Derman, Hello Sushi". New York Times. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  11. ^ Sagon, Candy (24 November 2002). "Book and Author (book review)". Washington Post.
  12. ^ "Forbidden Foods? Think Again!". Jewish Exponent. 20 December 2007.
  13. ^ Ellin, Simone (10 August 2012). "For Foodies (book review)". Baltimore Jewish Times.