Aug 10, 2021
Ziggy Gruber, originally from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York, owns and operates the #1 delicatessen in the United States, Kenny & Ziggy's, in Houston, Texas. A third generation deli man, he began working in his family's restaurants at age 8. After his grandfather's death when Ziggy was 15, he moved to London and attended Cordon Bleu; following his graduation, he worked at London's first Michelin three-star restaurant, Le Gavroche. Two years later, he moved back to the US and operated delis in New York, California, and, eventually, Texas. He is the main focus of Deli Man, a 2015 documentary film looking at the people, food, and traditions behind delicatessens in Jewish culture. Since 1999, Ziggy has worked in his deli almost every day, and he, his wife, and their two daughters live in Houston, Texas.