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Kishke, Culture, and Celebrity Chefs

by Leah Koenig · February 2nd, 2007
On The Web

Back in December, I posted about my lunch with The Food Maven, Arthur Schwartz, promising that I’d post the full article once it was published in Zeek’s February, 2007 issue.  Well, it’s February, and I’m one to make good on my promises. 

Schwartz is fascinating man who has “eaten his way” across all five boroughs and, according to the New York Times Magazine is, “a walking Google of food and restaurant knowledge.”

Click here to read the full interview, and experience The Food Maven’s take on everything from celebrity chefs, to mixing a good cocktail, to the state of Jewish cuisine in New York City.

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5 Responses to “Kishke, Culture, and Celebrity Chefs”

  1. Arnie Holtzman Says:
    February 17th, 2007 at 10:10 am

    I enjoyed the interview w/ Arthur “food maven” Schwartz. What I found of particular interest was the loss of knowledge to this generation of Eastern Parkway (somewhat up-scale for first gereration Jews) and of Pitkin Avenue (hardly “fancy”) of the 30s, 40s and 50s.
    The section of Pitkin Avenue of which Arthur speaks is in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, socially a half-step up from the Lower East Side. In Brownsville one could get by knowing only Yiddish. I grew up a block from Pitkin Avenue (for those who know the area: the corner of Sutter and Howard) and never ate at the Little Oriental as it was too expensive for most denizens of Brownsville. We (the few who ever ate out) ate at the Concord Cafeteria or, if we were on a date and wished to impress, at the Sweet Shop, essentially a lunchenette.

    One more thing: the Borough president was Abe Stark, not Abe Star, and no one in Brownsville knew what haberdashery means; to us it was a men’s clothing store. Stark was famous for his sign an the bottom of the Ebbet’s Field scoreboard which read “Hit this sign and win a free suit at Abe Stark’s.”

    But most of all, I repeat, I really enjoyed your interview with Arthur Schwartz.

  2. Arnie Holtzman Says:
    February 27th, 2007 at 5:54 pm

    Hey, is anyone out there listening???? :>)

  3. Leah Koenig Says:
    February 28th, 2007 at 11:49 am

    Hi Arnie,

    I tried to submit a comment last night, but it looks like it didn’t post. Thanks for your corrections and your comments, which added a great deal of depth to the picture of Brownsville painted in the interview. I especially like the bit about the sign at Ebbet’s Field.

    Glad you enjoyed the interview - keep those comments coming!

  4. Nicole Says:
    August 6th, 2007 at 2:39 pm

    I love this article as well. Could someone please tell me the precise location of The Little Oriental Restaurant on Pitkin Avenue? What were the cross streets? Do you know what’s there now? Thank you!

  5. Leah Koenig Says:
    August 6th, 2007 at 2:45 pm

    Thanks Nicole :) Arthur said there’s a McDonald’s on the spot of the Little Oriental now…I’m not sure what the exact cross streets are. Arthur’s website is http://www.foodmaven.com - perhaps there is helpful information there. Good luck!

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