Newton butcher suspends kosher supervision

Newton's kosher butcher is kosher no more.

Ricardo Bosich, the owner of the Center Market and Grill, a Newton kosher butchery formerly known as Gordon & Alperin, decided last month to suspend his kosher supervision.

“I can’t afford the kosher supervision,” said Bosich, who is actively looking for a new supervisor that is less expensive. “It’s a hard time for everyone right now since the economy is so bad.”

A message from his former supervisor, Rabbi Aaron Hamaoui of the Sephardic Community of Greater Boston, published on Kosher Blog, explains that this “was not due to a violation, but a business decision made by the proprietor.”

In 2007, Bosich expanded his Commonwealth Avenue business, opening a grocery store, a catering operation, and a restaurant called the Avenue Deli, according to a 2007 Globe West story.

However, a decline in business after losing his supervision has forced Bosich to sell the bakery and he is considering selling the deli too, he said.

Despite losing his supervision, Bosich said nothing has changed in how his food is cooked or prepared.

“The customers that know me for so many years, they are still shopping with me because I still do kosher,” he said.

Bosich said if he is unable to find a supervisor by Rosh Hashanah, which will be observed from sunset Sept. 29 to sunset Oct. 1, he may be forced to stop selling kosher.

“I do business just shaking hands,” he said. “I hope to keep my business kosher but business is business and I have to support my family.”

Traditionally, kosher restaurants and bakeries have earned kosher certification by hiring rabbis who oversee food products that are sold in the facility. Rabbis inspect all canned and pre-packaged goods to make sure they have kosher labels, and also check the origins of meat to confirm that it was sold by a kosher meat processor. Kosher supervisors are also vigilant in making sure that dairy and meat are not mixed together.

-- Brian Benson