Shay Ohana
Shay Ohana was born in Israel to Moroccan parents. Already at the conflux of Africa, Europe and the Middle East, the Ohana household drew from a variety of influences. Shay demonstrated a propensity toward food at a young age and began assisting with and preparing the family's meals.
At the age of 18 Shay joined the Israeli Army where he was able to continue his passion with food on a grander scale. He became a certified kosher supervisor and the army culinary supervisor. He served this post for three years.
In 1993 Shay made the transition from the Middle East to New York City. He attended the French culinary institute L'Ecole, where he studied the framework of classic French techniques, combined with the opportunity for inventiveness and expression.
In 2002 Shay helped to open Barouge Bistro Café at 228 West 72nd St. Ohana brings his Israeli and Moroccan heritage, experience with kosher cuisine, health food, Middle Eastern cooking and French influences to what he calls, "a new vision of kosher cuisine." Barouge Bistro Café practices Glatt Kosher, a higher grade of kosher supervision. Many of the specifics involved in strict kosher cuisine have health and well being at their core and practice stricter quality control than the USDA. One of the basic requirements of kosher food preparation is that meat and dairy must have no contact. To ensure this, Barouge Bistro Café is completely dairy-free. Shay has also worked in a variety of French and Moroccan restaurants.
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