Schwartz's
Schwartz's, also known as the Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen is a delicatessen established in 1928 by Reuben Schwartz, a Jewish immigrant from Romania.[1] It is a landmark, currently at 3895 Saint-Laurent Boulevard and the most famous Montreal-style smoked meat restaurant.[2] Schwartz's often has a line extending out of the store, whether it is the middle of the day or late at night. The company also sells smoked meat by mail order. It is kosher style rather than strictly kosher.[3]
The staff of Schwartz's credits the unique flavour of their smoked meat to their mandatory 10 day meat curing time, the high turnover of their meat, and their brick smoke-house covered with over 80 years worth of buildup.[4]
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[edit] Offerings
[edit] Smoked meat
Schwartz's main offering is smoked meat, typically served there as a sandwich on seedless rye bread and slathered with French's mustard. The two slices of sandwich bread are typically rotated 90 degrees from alignment and cut down the center. The meat is ordered by the fat content from lean, medium, medium-fat or fat. Medium and medium-fat are the most popular and in some opinions, the most delectable, since lean tends to be dry and fat may be an acquired taste.[4][5] The classic Schwartz's meal include a medium-fat sandwich, fries, half-sour pickle, coleslaw, red pepper, and a black cherry soda.[4]
[edit] Montreal steak seasoning
Schwartz's is also credited with the creation of Montreal steak seasoning or Montreal steak spice when Morris "The Shadow" Sherman, a broilerman working at Schwartz's in the 1940s and '50s, began adding the deli smoked meat pickling spices to his own rib and liver steaks. Due to the popularity of the seasoning with the customers, eventually it became a trend in Montreal delis and steakhouses to spice their steaks similarly.[4]
[edit] History
The deli has passed through several owners since its foundation:
- Reuben Schwartz (1928–1971): Founder the "Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen" in 1928. Reuben Schwartz was described by many as a bad businessman and a supposedly nasty character (boozer, gambler, womanizer) whose family could not stand him.[4][5][1]
- Maurice Zbriger (1971–1981): A violinist and composer, Zbriger was eventually made a partner, and eventually, sole owner of Schwartz's, until his death in 1986. He took Reuben Schwartz into his home and created him 'manager for life.' [2] Zbriger made Schwartz's a great success, and with the profits from the business, Zbriger spent many thousands of dollars organizing free concerts of his music. His story was documented in the National Film Board of Canada production The Concert Man.[6][7]
- Armande Toupin Chartrand (1981–1999): She began as a professional organizer and care-taker to Maurice Zbriger and through her service to him she was willed the delicatessen.[4][7]
- Hy Diamond (1999–Present): The current owner of Schwartz's. The only owner who has had a business background; for many years he was its accountant.[4][7][3]
[edit] Potential expansion
Several restaurateurs have offered to build Schwartz's as franchise operations in cities across North America, to which the owners have always refused. The idea of franchising Schwartz's just in Montreal, has also been rejected due to customer opposition.[4]
In the fall of 2008, Schwartz's opened a take-out location next door.[8]
In February 2012, following weeks of rumors, it was confirmed the sale of Schwartz's is imminent. While neither the official sale or an announcement of who the new owners will be has come to pass, it is believed it will be a partnership consortium consisting René Angélil and his wife Celine Dion, cousin Paul Sara (former owner of the Nickles restaurant chain), and Paul Nakis, the latter who is involved with the Baton Rouge Restaurant chain and other restaurant/pub franchises.[9] Cost of the sale is reportedly $10 million. Many have raised concerned that the new group, despite disapproval from locals, may very well franchise Schwartz's restaurant.
[edit] In media
In 2006, Montreal Gazette columnist Bill Brownstein wrote a book about Schwartz's, Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story, published by Véhicule Press.[10] Schwartz's has also been the subject of numerous articles and features in Canadian and international publications. The book and the newspaper column that inspired it, eventually became the inspiration itself to a stage production about the deli: Schwartz's: The Musical.[11]
Along with Concert Man, the restaurant was more recently the subject of a documentary film, Chez Schwartz, by filmmaker Garry Beitel.[12]
Also mentioned in episode 3x11 (Glee) by Rachel Berry.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Jamie O'Meara (2006-06-29). "Babylon, P.Q.: The meat of the matter". Hour Community. http://www.hour.ca/news/babylonpq.aspx?iIDArticle=9635. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
- ^ Schwartz's world famous smoked meat deli - now that's marketing
- ^ "Menschlich Montreal". North American Travel Journalists Association. 2005-06-28. http://classic.natja.org/ewire/display.php?id=585. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Browstein, Bill (2006), Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story, Vehicule Press, ISBN 978-1-55065-212-3
- ^ a b Sax, David (2010-10-01), Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen, Mariner Books, ISBN 0547386443
- ^ Ianzelo, Tony. "The Concert Man". Documentary film. National Film Board of Canada. http://nfb.ca/film/concert_man/. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ a b c Nestruck, J. Kelly (2006-09-28). "May the Schwartz be with you". National Post. http://www.canada.com/cityguides/montreal/story.html?id=46e6d806-ec33-4c1b-9b79-00a4bf883ab6&k=2257. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
- ^ "Schwartz's famed deli serves up takeout counter". CBC News. 2008-11-06. http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/11/06/mtl-schwartz.html. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
- ^ http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/Montreal+Schwartz+deli+sale+works+group+including+Ren%c3%a9+Ang%c3%a9lil/6104909/story.html#ixzz1mNgAxrAM
- ^ "Search Results: Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story". Véhicule Press. http://www.vehiculepress.com/titles/404.html. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
- ^ Latimer, Joanne (November 4, 2010), "Phantom of the Deli? Smoke-lahoma?:A newspaper column about Schwartz’s deli in Montreal has inspired a musical", Macleans, http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/11/04/phantom-of-the-deli/
- ^ Official site of the "Chez Schwartz" movie
[edit] External links
- Schwartz's Deli - official homepage
Coordinates: 45°30′58.50″N 73°34′39.73″W / 45.51625°N 73.5777028°W
