David Gruber, known as Ziggy Gruber(born 1969), is a

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

-born American chef and

restaurateur A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspe ...

known for his role in preservation of Jewish deli traditions. He is a restaurant owner, deli maven of Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen Restaurant in Houston, Texas and featured in the documentary "Deli Man." Also, Ziggy has frequently appeared on food television programs like ''Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives''''.'' He is a third generation

Jewish deli A Jewish deli, also known as a Jewish delicatessen, is a store that serves various traditional dishes of Jewish cuisine, mostly Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. Known for their robust sandwiches, such as pastrami on rye and Reuben sandwiches, they also ...

owner and has run three delis.

Early life and education

Ziggy Gruber was born to Pam and Eugene Gruber. He is the older of two sons born to the couple, the younger son being Jonathan Mackye Gruber, a screenwriter known professionally as J. Mackye Gruber. Eugene Gruber was a deli owner in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

as was his father, Max Gruber. The first Gruber deli man, Ziggy's grandfather Max, arrived in New York City sometime in the early 1900s from

Budapest, Hungary Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

. Max worked in several delis around New York City. In 1927, together with brothers-in-law Morris and Izzy Rappaport, they opened The Rialto Deli, which was the first deli to open its doors on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

. At age 12, Ziggy’s father Eugene entered the deli business with his father Max. With help from his brother, Seymour, Eugene opened Genard’s on

Madison Avenue Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square (at 23rd Street) to meet the southbound Harlem River Drive at 142nd Stree ...

. Genard's was opened for three decades. By the time Ziggy was 8, the family had moved to

Spring Valley, New York Spring Valley is a Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in the town of Ramapo, New York, Ramapo and Clarkstown, New York, Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, Rockland County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is ...

, where Seymour and Eugene owned a deli named Cresthill Kosher Deli. It was Ziggy's grandfather who decided it was time for him to learn more about the business. Ziggy's cousin Norman, also a deli owner, taught him about catering and marketing. Ziggy enrolled at

Le Cordon Bleu Le Cordon Bleu (; French: " The Blue Ribbon"; LCB) is a French hospitality and culinary education institution, teaching haute cuisine. Its educational focuses are hospitality management, culinary arts, and gastronomy. The institution consists ...

London at age 15. He graduated at the top of his class and spent the next two years working in London's three-star

Michelin Michelin ( , ), in full ("General Company of the Michelin Enterprises P.L.S."), is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes '' région'' of France. It is the second largest t ...

restaurants,

Le Gavroche Le Gavroche (''The Urchin'') was a restaurant at 43 Upper Brook Street in Mayfair, London. It was opened in April 1967 by Michel and Albert Roux at 61 Lower Sloane Street, its premises until 1981. Albert's son Michel Roux Jr was the chef pat ...

and

The Waterside Inn The Waterside Inn, in Bray, Berkshire, England, is a restaurant founded by the brothers Michel and Albert Roux after the success of Le Gavroche. It is currently run by Michel's son, Alain. The restaurant has three Michelin stars, and in 2010 ...

. He cooked for the Queen Elizabeth II of England.

Professional career

Chef, restaurateur, and advocate for preserving culinary traditions for Jewish Delis

When Ziggy returned to the United States, Ziggy and his dad ran the Spring Valley business, Cresthill Kosher Deli. Ziggy stayed until the early 1990s and then went to California and opened Ziggy G's on

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

. The Gruber deli served clientele like

Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for ...

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career has spanned over six decades, and he has received an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. He also received the Irving G. Thalberg Memor ...

Annette Bening Annette Carol Bening (born May 29, 1958) is an American actress. With a career spanning over four decades, she is known for List of Annette Bening performances, her versatile work across screen and stage. Bening has received List of awards an ...

Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...

, and

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He was considered one of the key figures of New Hollywood. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Internatio ...

. Freddy Klein, former owner of

Carnegie Deli The Carnegie Deli was a Jewish delicatessen, formerly a chain, based in New York City. Its main branch, opened in 1937 near Carnegie Hall, was located at 854 7th Avenue (between 54th and 55th Streets) in Midtown Manhattan. It closed on Decemb ...

and a restaurant broker, introduced Ziggy to Lenny Friedman, a real estate developer, and his son Kenny. Lenny wanted to bring a New York deli food to

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

. Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen Restaurant & Bakery opened in 1999. In 2004, Kenny left the business. Lenny Friedman remains Ziggy's business partner. Ziggy has appeared on several culinary television programs, including TV shows like "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives", where his restaurant Kenny & Ziggy's, was highlighted. He was included in

David Sax David Sax (born 1979) is a Canadian journalist. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Sax has written for publications such as ''New York Magazine'', '' Vanity Fair'', ''Bloomberg Business Week'', ''The New York Times'', ''Saveur'', NPR, '' GQ'' and ''Toronto ...

’s 2009 book "

Save the Deli ''Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen'' is a book published by Canadian journalist David Sax about the decline of the Jewish delicatessen. The book is about the history of Jewish deli ...

," and "Deli Man" (2015), a national film documentary by Director Erik Greenberg Anjou ( "A Cantor’s Tale" and "Road to Ruin") that raised the alarm on how delicatessens, an integral part of every Jewish community in the first half of the 20th Century, may soon be history. It is a look at the men behind the food behind the tradition of delicatessens in

Jewish culture Jewish culture is the culture of the Jewish people, from its formation in ancient times until the current age. Judaism itself is not simply a faith-based religion, but an orthopraxy and Ethnoreligious group, ethnoreligion, pertaining to deed, ...

. It includes delis from all regions of the country, featuring Ziggy and Kenny & Ziggy's as a place the film's producer calls "the finest delicatessen restaurant in the U.S." “Deli Man" premiered in Houston on February 24, 2015, and was declared Ziggy Gruber Day in Houston by Mayor

Annise Parker Annise Danette Parker (born May 17, 1956) is an American politician from the state of Texas. A Democrat, Parker served as the 61st Mayor of Houston, Texas, from 2010 until 2016. She also served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council ...

to commemorate the day. Ziggy attended documentary premiere events in cities across the country. The story of the loss of the traditional deli was further chronicled in the national exhibit “I’ll Have What She’s Having” started by the

Skirball Cultural Center The Skirball Cultural Center, founded in 1996, is a Jewish educational institution in Los Angeles, California. The center, named after philanthropist couple Jack H. Skirball and Audrey Skirball-Kenis, has a museum with regularly changing exhi ...

in Los Angeles and traveling throughout the county, displaying the history of the American deli. Ziggy loaned part of his vintage deli menu collection to the exhibit. He also participated in a Q&A session/lecture following a screening of "Deli Man" at the Skirball Museum during the exhibit in July 2022. Community Impact with National Deli Month The disappearance of so many delis prompted Ziggy to organize an effort to bring more attention to the remaining delis and their culinary and cultural importance. In 2016, Ziggy Gruber, in collaboration with Jay Parker, former owner of Ben's Best Deli in Rego Park, New York, founded National Deli Month to be an annual celebration of delis, held during the month of August. It is an effort by delicatessens to bring attention to an American institution rapidly disappearing from our culture. From August 1–31, participating delis offer prix fixe menus or specials on their signature dishes that provide a chance to try traditional deli dishes and raise money for a charity of their choice in their local community. In Houston, Kenny & Ziggy's offers a three-course menu for National Deli Month, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting

Holocaust Museum Houston The Holocaust Museum Houston is located in Houston's Museum District, in Texas. It is the fourth largest holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, Eur ...

. During the month, Ziggy also hosts a private

Holocaust survivors Holocaust survivors are people who survived the Holocaust, defined as the persecution and attempted annihilation of the Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators before and during World War II in Europe and North Africa. There is no universall ...

Luncheon for all Holocaust survivors in the area and their descendants.

Recognition and awards

* Save the Deli, ''"Save the Deli"''. Kenny & Ziggy's and Ziggy Gruber are included in the book ''Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen,'' published by Canadian journalist David Sax in 2009 about the decline of the Jewish delicatessen. * ''"1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die"''. Book by noted food writer Mimi Sheraton, Mimi Sherton, published in 2015. * Houston Chef of the Month for March: Ziggy Gruber

Media appearances

* " Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" on Food Network – season 7, episode 6 ("You Picked ‘Em") * " Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" on Food Network – season 33, episode 12 ("Takeout: Comin' from All Over the Map”) * "Samantha Brown’s Places to Love" – Season 5, episode 1 (January 29, 2022) * "Triple D Nation" on Food Network – November 12, 2021, "Creative Comfort" * "Eat Like a Local" on KPRC Channel 2, 2024 * "Texas Eats" – KSAT television show feature, 2023 * "Good Taste with Tanji" – Texas’ Very Own NYC Style Deli: Kenny & Ziggy’s, February 19, 2018, Stacked to the Sky, November 7, 2020 * "Food Paradise" on Travel Channel * "All You Can Eat" on History Channel – season 1 * Houston Chronicle video feature – 2024
Food Network – Top Places to Eat
* Wine Enthusiast – 14 Essential Bars in Houston, According to Industry Pros, December 20, 2024 * New York Times – Couple lost at Sea Dine at Kenny & Ziggy's, July 30, 2024 * AFAR magazine – restaurant listings, September 4, 2014 * Texas Highways – Kenny & Ziggy's Serves Classics, April 2022 * Conde Nast Traveler – Best Jewish Delis in America, April 22, 2016 * Tasting Table & Yahoo.com – 15 Iconic Pastrami Sandwiches, March 13, 2024 * AOL – Best Joints for Pastrami Sandwich in America – June 10, 2024 * Bon Viveur – Pastrami: qué es, cuál es su origen y cómo se elabora, January 30, 2024 * * Voyage Houston – Meet Ziggy Gruber, July 18, 2018 * iHeart – This Texas Eatery Is Among The Best Delis Across America, October 24, 2022 * * Boston.com – Guy Fieri shares his Houston food faves for Super Bowl weekend, February 4, 2017 * Chron.com – Shaquille O’Neal and Guy Fieri Visit Kenny & Ziggy's, February 3, 2017 * The Nosher – Everything Is Bigger in Texas – Including This Jewish Deli, January 13, 2022 * The New York Times – review of "Deli Man," March 5, 2015 * Los Angeles Times – review of "Deli Man," March 5, 2015 * The Times of Israel – Pastrami on wry with the Texan macher keeping deli culture alive, February 25, 2015 * Bon Appetit – "Follow That Brisket", April 2016 * Food & Wine – Best Delis in America, June 16, 2016 * Eater – Essential 38 Restaurants in Houston, 2014 * SYSCO Foodie – Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen: A Fresh, Fun Take on Dining that’s Rooted in Tradition * FoodChallenges.com – Kenny & Ziggy's Zelegabetsky sandwich * Los Angeles Times – Mind-Boggling Variety From Ziggy G's Deli, June 20, 1995

Current restaurants

Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen Restaurant & Bakery (Houston)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gruber, Ziggy Delicatessens in New York City

Ziggy Gruber David Gruber, known as Ziggy Gruber(born 1969), is a New York (state), New York-born American chef and restaurateur known for his role in preservation of Jewish deli traditions. He is a restaurant owner, deli maven of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, ...

1969 births American restaurateurs Jewish culture Jewish American cuisine Delicatessens