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. The Gruber deli served clientele like Johnny Depp, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Dennis Hopper. [11]
Freddy Klein, former owner of Carnegie Deli 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. [12] Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen Restaurant & Bakery opened in 1999. In 2004, Kenny left the business. Lenny Friedman remains Ziggy's business partner. [13]
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’s 2009 book "Save the Deli," and "Deli Man" [14] (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. 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." [14] [15] [16]
“Deli Man" [14] premiered in Houston on February 24, 2015, and was declared Ziggy Gruber Day in Houston by Mayor Annise Parker to commemorate the day. Ziggy attended documentary premiere events in cities across the country. [17]
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 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. [18] [3] [6] [14]
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. [19] 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. [20]
In Houston, Kenny & Ziggy's offers a three-course menu for National Deli Month, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Holocaust Museum Houston. During the month, Ziggy also hosts a private Holocaust survivors Luncheon for all Holocaust survivors in the area and their descendants. [21]
