According to Halacha, a Jew must participate in the initial steps of the cooking process of certain foods. This is referred to as, Bishul Yisrael. For such foods Jewish involvement is required in order to make them permissible for consumption. The lack of Jewish Involvement is referred to as bishul akum (non-Jewish cooking), this food is prohibited even when all ingredients are kosher.
This requirement applies only to foods that meet both of the following conditions:
- Types of food that are not typically eaten raw.
- Types of food suitable to be served at a formal setting (e.g., chicken, meat, potatoes, fish).
Only when both criteria are met is the food required to have Bishul Yisrael.
According to Sephardic halachah, the Jewish involvement must occur before the food is one-third cooked. Ashkenazi authorities however, allow later involvement as long as the food isn’t fully cooked.
The central question is what level of involvement is required in order to render food Bishul Yisrael.
There are two primary halachic opinions: that of the Shulchan Aruch (representing the Sephardic position) and the Rama (representing the Ashkenazi position). The Rama adopts a more lenient approach, while the Shulchan Aruch rules more stringently. In today’s market, the standard of the Shulchan Aruch is often referred to as “Bishul Beit Yosef,” a title derived from his monumental work, the Beit Yosef.