This
documentary by Erik Anjou is a charming and entertaining history of
delicatessens in the U.S., their association with the Jewish culture, and the
current state of affairs for delis.
Prominent in the presentation is third generation deli owner, David
“Ziggy” Gruber, who went to Houston, Texas, in 1999 with his friends to open
Kenny and Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen on Post Oak Road.
Ziggy
grew up in New York City, maintaining a continuing close relationship with his
grandparents who had emigrated from Hungary and Romania and opened one of the
first delis there. From a young
age, Ziggy was attracted to the business, and he and his grandfather grew very
close working alongside one another.
When he graduated from high school, his intention was to attend the
Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, but in the interim, his mother took
him to England to meet with relatives he had never seen. When he passed a Cordon Bleu college
there, he was instantly entranced, and managed to talk his way into becoming a
student. He did well, and when he
was finishing up, he was prepared to accept a position at a Michelin star
restaurant. This was dear to his
father’s heart because he was hoping that his son would become a chef of fine
cuisine. However, upon Ziggy’s
return to New York and his attending the Deli Man’s Association dinner where
the average age was 80, he realized he needed to preserve that part of his
heritage, and so has worked in delis ever since. His restaurant in Houston is very successful, earning high
ratings across the years. A recent
chicken soup cook-off at a Jewish temple in Houston, where many well-known
restaurants were in competition, gave him first prize.
The
documentary makes very clear how demanding and frustrating deli work can
be. There are incredibly long
hours including weekends and holidays, the customers are “finicky”, and it’s
difficult to recruit and maintain responsible help. It also points up very clearly how the delicatessen is in
drastic decline across the U.S. for various reasons. Ziggy is wistful about this, but his father is
philosophical—“Nothing lasts forever; everything changes.”
Some
delis, for example, Caplansky’s in Toronto, are incorporating changes to “Jew
it up” and preserve their cultural heritage. They include storytelling in open
mic sessions, a Passover Seder dinner, and a competition among home-cooking
enthusiasts. At other
establishments, waiters get into the act by entertaining the customers with
conversation, song, and jokes.
Ziggy is praised for his way with customers, which is very warm and
personalized.
Deli Man is informative, entertaining,
and certainly prompts the viewer to rush right out and order a pastrami
sandwich on Rye. Celebrity
interviews are liberally sprinkled throughout the film, and a detailed account
of Ziggy’s personal life comes across very nicely, ending up with a wedding in
Hungary at the site of his grandfather’s bar mitzvah. Cinematography (David Sperling) and musical (Lorin Sklamberg) accompaniments round
out the very nice production.
Plan on a trip to a deli soon after viewing.
Grade: B By
Donna R. Copeland
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