By COLlive reporter
Photos by Itzik Roytman
Rabbi Hanoch Hecht leaned with his arms crossed on a textured wall of the Edison Ballroom in New York City’s Midtown Manhattan and watched himself on the large screen.
He kept a straight face and remained motionless as his name was announced by the narrator of the American reality cooking television game show series, Chopped.
The Chabad rabbi from Rhinebeck, NY, was one of the clergy competing on a special segment on the Food Network titled “Leap of Faith” and premiered across the country, and in this ballroom, on June 21.
On screen, the rabbi was energetic and entertaining as he faced a priest, a nun-in-training and a pastor for a chance to win the grand prize of $10,000.
“I will be the first rabbi to be the champion and to receive a Mazal Tov from the judges,” said Hecht, who taught about kosher to students of the Culinary Institute of America, headquartered near his home in Hyde Park, NY.
While the crowd in the ballroom cheered him on, Hecht himself was tight-lipped on the result of the grueling competition. Filming began at 6:00 AM and only ended late in the evening, he recalled.
“It doesn’t matter the outcome. Either way, I’m the winner,” Hecht commented to COLlive.com during the airing. “I had the opportunity to be the first Rabbi on Chopped. I competed at the highest level, and still kept the highest standard of Kashrus.”
Indeed, while he had all his own utensils – specially labeled, Hecht pointed out – since the television show’s kitchen was not sterilized kosher, Hecht wasn’t able to taste the dishes he was being judged on.
“I was the only contestant who couldn’t taste any of my food, and had to rely on the person next to me to tell me how it tastes,” he said, jokingly adding, “even though I think she was lying to me.”
The audience surrounding Hecht applauded each time the judges complimented one of his dishes and cheered with each round he was not eliminated.
His wife, Tzivie Hecht, stood nearby.
“After we got married, Hanoch taught me everything I know about cooking,” she said, noting that as the daughter of Shluchim in Syracuse, NY, she attended school away from home and “never really spent time learning how to cook.”
“Hanoch really does much of the cooking in our home,” she said. “When I leave for the Kinus convention, I don’t have to prepare a thing. He has it all taken care of.”
So how did he do? (spoiler alert!)
Sporting a red yarmulka and a black apron, Hecht made it through 2 rounds in the competition. He was finally was left in a showdown with a female pastor as they each created a dessert out of dates, vegetables and hamentaschen.
While the judges praised Hecht’s dessert for its presentation and taste, he was nevertheless eliminated.
But Hecht hardly seemed disappointed that he was not the winner, as his family and friends gathered around him to congratulate him for a great show.
Having used humor and sharing nuggets about Kosher cooking and Judaism throughout the show, Hecht stated: “The main thing is, I brought an awareness of Kosher to the world. I hope I made a Kiddush Hashem.”
U were fabulous out there!!! Bringing kosher and Jewish tradition into the dishes. You are definitely one amazing chef to make it all the way to the dessert round!!!
Cook non kosher meat. Can’t cook meat & milk together
Haha I’ve tasted that R’ heat. It’s a staple at many of the Hecht Shabbos tables:)
as far as I know the only time where you can’t COOK something not kosher, is when you’re cooking milk and meat together (that’s one of the three issurim of lo sevashel gedi bechalav Imo) but I think you’re otherwise allowed to COOK treif meat, although I may be wrong
We really proud of you well done mechayil el choyil
Uncle A Aunty D and cousins Ilfird Essex Uk
But loving the article. Amazing pics.
Camp Shaloh the good old days
Rabbi H great and entertaining:)
Also kaporos memories haha
We were always happy in Camp Shaloh when Hanoch was the cook. He cared about making good food and always had a great attitude.
Is one allowed to cook non kosher meat? I do not know
But plan on watching!!!
Thank you for posting
Our community who watch tv a lot and chopped included had a great opportunity of watching a Chabad Rabbi. They were riveted. I felt like fam when they kept calling and texting to ask if I knew the rabbi!!! they were impressed.
where can you watch it?
Col usually I am critical sp I supppse its only fair to give good criticism as well. This article was written very well, good quality, suspenseful, and the headline was good.
If the kitchen wasn’t koshered, would halacha allow him to use the oven? We can’t benefit from milk and meat even if we don’t eat it…then again, it wasn’t for benefit but for education. Maybe he only used his own pots and not the oven.
I remember when I stayed with your family before i moved to Crown Heights, you were the one with the lovely personality
Did it air already, if not when is it going to air
Fantastic job, very creative cooking, did very well under pressure, incredible job, I was also sure he would win – first course too large? This is by you a problem? : ) When do people complain that they got too much appetizer? Thank you for representing.
for NOT being able to taste the food #2 is a winner by me. the Rebbe would be very very proud a true chosid who used the show to openly spread yidishkait …I WONDER HOW MANY TOUSANDS OF NON OBSERVANT WERE TOUCHED BY IT.
it aired last night at 10
Rabbi I’m so shocked you always over salt lol
I cried when I watched this ( must confess my favorite show)
It reminded me of my long gone grandma whom we lovingly called “bubba.”
She kept kosher. She made rugelech! Maybe it’s a sign for me to learn about kosher.
Love the pic of the 6 minute rabbi now chopped contestant with the Hecht rollerblading rabbi!!!!
Great job! Great Kiddush Hashem!!
Proud to know you!!!!
What can be expected from a home of hachnosas orchim where guests become family and are fed awesome food! I have been a recipient!
When will it air
Yasher koach, Chanoch, you crossed a line into a new frontier. You are always a winner.
Devorah Kroll
Having watched the show, I was very impressed by the respect and cooperation between Hanoch and the pastor etc and she tasted his food at least twice that we saw and was very honest and when the judges told him his food was missing salt her jaw dropped and he acknowledged that he should have listened to her but didn’t sonto now say – even jokingly – that she most probably lied discredits it
Totally amazing! Rabbi H you have made us all v proud!
I love this show and this is just so cool!
Rabbi Hecht you were awesome! WHat an incredible job! and a huge kiddush hashem, Zaidy Hecht and the Rebbe are smiling down at you!
So what were the mystery ingredients in his Chopped baskets? What did he cook? There was an episode of Chopped with an observant Jew, and one of the items was a basket of shellfish!