The Souper Bistro in Caulfield North, Melbourne, invites discerning foodies to "eat good, do good" through every scrumptious, kosher bite they take.
Ukrainian-born chef Zlata Gluzman has long been making beloved kosher Eastern European dishes, which she has brought to the homes of vulnerable people through her sister initiative, Souper Kitchen. However, the opening of Souper Bistro in late 2021 now means people can come together to eat her food.
"A lot of kosher catering here is mostly Israeli food, but Russian dishes are our most popular," says Gluzman, who moved to Australia in 2009. "Most people love the stuffed cabbage rolls, they're the most popular." People also love the schnitzel.
"Before, we were cooking in different places, but it was only free meals and it was hard to cover all the costs, which is why we decided to open the bistro as a non-for-profit because it covers the expenses for the hamper programs. Kosher products are pretty expensive, which is why it's hard to find donors."
Gluzman's menu is centred on Eastern European dishes, but it draws on various cultures. There are Ukrainian, Georgian, Uzbekistan, Russian and traditional Jewish dishes.
"Blintzes, kotletki, golubtsi, chicken Kiev, some things that people are missing because usually you can't buy it here," Gluzman explains. "That's why we did something that people can't buy at other places. We've got traditional Russian and Ukrainian soups too – borsch, chicken soup, Georgian kharcho, and every day we do new salads, everything made fresh daily."
The menu rotates, depending on what's popular and seasonally available. It serves festive food during Jewish holidays.
"It will be Purim and we will make traditional baked stuff, hamantaschen, which is pastries with different fillings. Each holiday has its own different traditions and we definitely do customary additions to the menu for these holidays."
That covers the "eat good" part of the equation. The "do good" part is that proceeds from dishes, coffees and delicacies go towards hampers and meals for the vulnerable as part of Souper Kitchen.
The seed was sown for the project in 2015 when Gluzman and friends gathered to discuss how they could be of service. They recognised that there weren't any kosher home-delivery and food-donation services for many Holocaust survivors, Russian-speaking public-housing residents, socially isolated community members, new migrants and those living with disabilities.
If they need, and they call us, we're happy to help them.
Thanks to the work of staff and volunteers, over 5,500 meals were delivered in 2018, the first year of operation of Souper Kitchen. In 2019, its partnership with the charity, Foodbank Australia, delivered a tonne of groceries and household goods to those in need every fortnight. Presently, over 120 people are regular recipients of meals, care packages and free groceries.
In addition to being a kosher chef for Souper Bistro and Souper Kitchen, Gluzman has plenty on her plate: she's also a mum of four. Her kitchen is redolent with the scent of katletki: pan-fried minced meat croquettes made with bread, onions, garlic and herbs, sweet potato with dukkah, Passover banana cake made with mashed potato and vanilla cake, chocolate-filled rugelach, honkey crinkle cookies, and for Purim, hamentashen cookies filled with dark and white chocolate.
The work she does is an extension of her life and her faith.
"It's part of my life in Ukraine as well, helping a lot of people with whatever they need as a volunteer," she says. "It's part of the Jewish soul, to help another person and it doesn't matter if it's a Jewish person or people from other backgrounds. If they need, and they call us, we're happy to help them."
208-210 Balaclava Rd
Caulfield North, Melbourne
Monday-Thursday: 12-7pm
Friday: 10-5pm
Saturday-Sunday: Closed
