<p>An apple-and-honey snacking cake, fresh out of the oven, sat on the stovetop in Jake Cohen’s Long Island City apartment. A few feet away, a newly baked challah with sesame seeds and flaky salt adorned the counter.</p><p>A visitor hesitated, feeling hungry. Mr. Cohen, apologetically but firmly, stated that the pastries and bread were accompanying him to his appearance on “Good Morning America,” where he would discuss his latest cookbook, “I Could Nosh: Classic Jew-ish Recipes Revamped for Every Day,” a follow-up to his bestselling book, “Jew-ish: Reinvented Recipes From a Modern Mensch,” which debuted in 2021.</p><p>“But I always have baked goods around,” said the 29-year-old cookbook author, opening the freezer to reveal cookies and banana bread reserved for guests, both anticipated and unexpected. “People come by all the time.”</p><p>This explains why Mr. Cohen and his husband, Alex Shapiro, a financial consultant, keep their dining table set for six. “It’s like Lucky Girl Syndrome,” Mr. Cohen remarked. “You’re opening up to the universe that something can happen.”</p><p>His mother and sister, who live nearby, often visit unannounced. Mr. Cohen’s close friend, comedian Alex Edelman, frequently calls before making an unplanned visit. Mr. Cohen, friendly as a golden retriever, seems to believe that a latke tartine or two can fix any problem, no matter how dire.</p><ul><li>Jake Cohen, 29</li><li>Occupation: Cookbook author</li><li>Traffic alert: “If I’m going somewhere, I can just look out our window and decide if I want to take the bridge, the tunnel, my bike or the subway.”</li></ul><p>Mr. Cohen grew up in Bayside, Queens, and on Long Island. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he moved into a studio apartment in Murray Hill that his mother, Elizabette, had purchased for investment purposes. Later, he welcomed Mr. Shapiro, whom he met through the dating app Hinge in 2015, to share the same space. The couple got married in 2018.</p><p>After selling their apartment in 2019, the couple planned to buy a new one in Brooklyn Heights. However, Mr. Cohen suggested that his mother consider moving to Long Island City, a vibrant and convenient location for her work as a freelance veterinarian. The idea appealed to her, and she purchased a condominium in a soon-to-be-constructed building, temporarily residing in a nearby luxury high-rise rental until her new home was ready. Inspired by her enthusiasm, Mr. Cohen’s daughter also decided to rent in the same building. Meanwhile, Mr. Cohen and Mr. Shapiro reconsidered their plans and opted to rent a one-bedroom apartment on the 22nd floor, situated in the same building as Mr. Cohen’s mother (on the 44th floor) and his sister (on the 12th floor). The experience, during the height of the pandemic, felt like living in an urban kibbutz, according to Mr. Cohen. Last year, his mother and sister moved to different buildings, now located just a block away. Mr. Cohen and Mr. Shapiro also moved last year, upgrading to a two-bedroom apartment just down the hall from their previous one-bedroom residence.</p><p>“During one of the Covid waves, our movers canceled on us,” Mr. Cohen shared. “I ended up grabbing a dolly from the doorman and moved most of our furniture myself. It was the most macho thing I’ve ever done.”</p><p>The apartment, however, made the effort worthwhile. With its west-facing floor-to-ceiling windows, the couple enjoys a breathtaking view that surpasses their previous apartment. They can admire the New York skyline when they wake up in the morning and sit on their couch, gazing at Manhattan’s mesmerizing beauty, when the lights are off at night.</p><p>In terms of amenities, the apartment includes a pantry, a convenience greatly valued by Mr. Cohen, who now has a specific space to organize his various flours and spices.</p><p>The apartment itself is clean and modern, featuring stainless steel appliances, light oak floors, and a sleek off-white bouclé sectional. It serves as the perfect backdrop for objects with sentimental value due to their age and heritage.</p><p>A marble rack displays a fish-shaped silver-and-wood lox platter that Mr. Cohen inherited from his maternal grandmother, as well as his great-grandmother’s recipe box. In the primary bedroom, next to the braided challah menorah and Mr. Cohen’s collection of glass and ceramic pomegranates from Israel, sits the kiddush cup from his great-grandparents’ wedding.</p><p>For his 25th birthday, Mr. Shapiro gifted Mr. Cohen a pair of crystal candlesticks, which now occupy the center of the dining table. “None of my family’s candlesticks survived the Holocaust,” Mr. Cohen revealed. “But now we have something to pass down.”</p><p>Mr. Cohen’s maternal grandmother will soon be moving from the Caribbean to Florida, and she plans to pass on her mother-of-pearl fruit knives. Mr. Cohen is excited to put them to use. Hospitality comes naturally to him. Celebrities like comedian Judy Gold, actor Shoshana Bean, and composer Benj Pasek frequently join Mr. Edelman for Sabbath dinner around Mr. Cohen’s table. The couple also hosts regular game nights and dinners for other couples.</p><p>Although Mr. Cohen loves his current apartment, he maintains that he would move without hesitation, as renting affords the freedom and flexibility to leave at any time. “You have to be ready to go,” he remarked. “You have to have your go-bag packed. Your dream apartment could become available tomorrow.”</p><p>For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/realestate?module=inline">here</a>.</p>
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