Courtesy of Cohen Media Group
Ziggy Gruber
The Deli Man documentary begins with an alarming statistic: in the 1930s thousands of Jewish delis flourished in New York City; nowadays, in all of North America, only 150 are in business. But like that Upper Midwest favorite, the supper club, the Jewish deli persists from a combination of nostalgia, communal pride, good food and a unique charm impossible in chain-franchises—or even in those trendy new places with “sharing menus.”
Deli Man achieves everything hoped for from a documentary on its subject: its offers culinary history, interviews with interesting folks and makes you hungry just looking at the food. Dozens of deli owners (from Toronto to San Francisco) are given their 15 seconds, but the focus is on David “Ziggy” Gruber, a third-generation deli owner with Brooklyn roots who opened a successful joint in Houston. At age 8, Gruber was tossed an apron by his beloved grandfather and sent to the kitchen. And although he went on for some cordon bleu education, he saw preserving this favorite form of Yiddishkeit as his life’s mission. Younger guys weren’t going into the deli business. He would keep the tradition alive.
The challenges are great in our “Happy Meal” drive-thru society; the work is hard (ask any restaurateur regardless of cuisine); and profits are slender even on a good day. And yet, good food is integral to any viable culture and interest is growing in exploring different culinary traditions (or inventing new ones). Slow food? Well, the deli has always been fast food served with personality. Locally sourced? In many cases, yes. “Sharing menu”? Hey, split the matzo ball and cut that blintz in half!
“Above all, be a mensch,” Gruber says, explaining his persistence and success. It’s a mantra for everyone in any profession
Deli Man opens March 20 at the Downer Theatre.
