Maplewood Restaurant With 'Chutzpah' To Open Next Month

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Manhattan restaurateur and Maplewood resident Sagi Ohayon is bringing authentic Israeli street food to Maplewood Village. Located at 175 Maplewood Ave. in Maplewood, Chutzpah Kitchen will likely open its doors the first week of October, the owners said.

The Chutzpah Kitchen menu will be specialized and will feature Middle Eastern favorite “sandvicheem” such as falafel, kufta, and schnitzel. It will also spotlight modern takes on Middle-Eastern flavors with a shawarma spiced cauliflower, varying “Salatim,” mezze, and more. Chutzpah Kitchen will have offerings for vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores.

The concept of Chutzpah Kitchen was conceived by Sagi Ohayon, who was born and raised in Israel and has spent most of his life in the restaurant world. He has owned and operated NYC’s Cafe Delectica since 2008. Cafe Delectica is a cafe with a special event and catering division.

He and his family have called Maplewood home for the past five years and Ohayon has been yearning to bring “the flavors and boldness of an Israeli shuk (market) to SOMA and the surrounding areas.”

Ohayon is partnering with a corporate executive turned serial entrepreneur, South Orange resident, Tanmoy Jadhav, who is the Founder and CEO of Digital Made Easy.

In response to the current climate, Ohayon designed the menu, optimized for takeout and delivery, so he focused on items that will travel well. Once some restrictions are lifted Chutzpah Kitchen will feature additional options such as brunch, special events, and more.

Chutzpahis a Yiddish word that translates to audacity or boldness. Visit chutzpahkitchen.com for more details and follow us on Instagram @chutzpah_Kitchen

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