PHOTOS COURTESY OF BIG NOSH

UPDATE: The Big Nosh was even bigger than organizers thought it would be. Due to the overwhelming response, the event will not take place on Tuesday, April 9. There simply isn’t any food left to nosh.

Pittsburgh native Evan H. Stein attends all of the city’s annual foodie events; he puckers up at Picklesburgh, goes Greek at St. Nick’s, fills up at Lenten fish fries and eats a lot at Little Italy Days. 

Next month, he’s helping to orchestrate a celebration for a cuisine that’s near and dear to his heart. Big Nosh, the inaugural Jewish food festival, will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 7 through Tuesday, April 9 at Congregation Beth Shalom in Squirrel Hill. 

The menu features a variety of traditional, kosher dishes available for dine-in or takeout. It is being prepared by Master Chef Judah Cowen of Elegant Edge Catering and overseen by the Vaad Harabonim of Pittsburgh, a cohort of rabbis. 

“It’s delicious. It’s nostalgic. It’s the original comfort food,” says Stein, chairman of the board of trustees for the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, an independent multimedia Jewish news organization serving southwestern Pennsylvania. “Our nonprofit would benefit from an outreach event, an annual fundraiser that gives us an opportunity to engage with our constituents.”

More than 3,000 people are expected to attend the three-day feast that takes place two weeks before the start of Passover. 

There is no entry fee. Guests can peruse vendor tables in the lobby and enjoy two culinary experiences in the ballroom. On the right side will be an Israeli shuk, or market, filled with authentic street food such as falafel pita, turkey shawarma and bourekas, pastries filled with mashed potato and spinach that are topped with sesame seeds. The popular Sephardic Jewish dish is served with crushed tomato, hard-boiled egg, Israeli pickles and tahini sauce.

The left side will have a buffet featuring appetizers, sides, main dishes and desserts. There will be familiar items including matzah ball soup, chopped liver and Gefilte fish as well as more obscure delicacies that’ll give folks a chance to expand their palate. Attendees will pay for their items at the cash register and take a seat or a to-go bag. Donations also are being accepted onsite and online.

In addition to food, Big Nosh will have a cash bar operated by East Liberty’s Square Cafe with beer and kosher wine, a 50/50 raffle (the winner will be announced on Tuesday evening) and live entertainment by Henry Shapiro.

Stein wants Big Nosh to get bigger every year so the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle can continue its long tradition of news coverage. He also hopes the festival gives people from different backgrounds a chance to experience Jewish culture.  

“If you’ve never eaten Jewish food, come and try something,” he says. “If you’ve never met a Jewish person, come and join us.”