Title Details

MILTON PARKER was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1919. He cofounded the Carnegie Deli with Leo Steiner in 1978 and became sole owner in 1988.

ALLYN FREEMAN is a writer whose credits include television episodes of M*A*S*H and Hart to Hart. He holds an MBA from Columbia University Business School.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

COURSE 1.

DOING BUSINESS THE CARNEGIE DELI WAY.

Carnegie Deli: Business 101.

A Chronology of Jewish or Deli Food in the USA.

1937: The Opening.

1942 to 1976: Carnegie Max Hudes.

1976: The Deli House That Leo and Milton Built.

1979: You’re the Tops!

1983: Broadway Danny Rose.

1983: Deli Williamsburg Bridge.

1986: One Order, Cash to Go.

1986: Statue of Chopped Liver-Ty.

1987: Yes, Virginia, There Is a Carnegie Deli.

COURSE 2.

LEO STEINER, OWNER: “INTO THE DELI LIMELIGHT”.

Take Over the Carnegie.

The Arnold’s Bread Commercial.

“Plain and Simply Wonderful”.

Have a Nice Sandwich.

Expansion.

Exit Leo.

The Deli Food Quiz.

Appetizers, Side Dishes, and Sauces.

Chopped Liver.

Kasha Varnishkas.

Barley Soup.

Matzoh Ball Soup.

Kreplach with Meat.

Knish.

COURSE3.

HENNY YOUNGMAN: KING OF THE ONE-LINERS.

Wayne Lammers, Waiter: “The Deli Music Man”.

COURSE4.

MILTON PARKER, OWNER: “HARD WORK AND GOOD LUCK”.

Leo Meets Milton.

Pressing the Partnership.

Parker Pens His Own Name.

Handling the Deli Crowd.

The Smart Moves.

Other Carnegie Delis in the Country.

Still Going Strong.

Summing Up a Career.

Deli Slang.

1981: Pastrami Sandwich to the Rescue.

1988: Big Tex Meets Big Sandwich.

1988: Pastrami at Ten Paces.

1989 to 1994: Going Hollywood.

1991: Simon Says.

1999: Omaha Steaks.

2000: Hold That Line.

2001: Murder above the Deli.

2003: Light in the Darkness.

1988 to 2004: Promotions and Awards.

The Bagel.

Annie Smith, Waitress: “Attack of the Decaf Gotchas”.

Bagels, Lox, and Cream Cheese.

COURSE5.

JACK SIROTA, WAITER: “LAST OF THE ORIGINALS”.

Come to the Carnegie.

Enter Steiner and Parker.

Celebrity Serving.

The Life of the Waiter.

Rasmee Ruenanukool, Waitress: “Lady of Smiles”.

Muriel Caraballo, Waitress: “CBS NFL Warm-Up”.

Meats of the Deli World.

Beef Flanken.

Corned Beef or Pastrami Hash.

Chicken Consommé and Chicken in the Pot.

Chicken Paprikash Casserole.

Stuffed Cabbage.

Brisket of Beef.

2004: Pickle-Eating Contest.

COURSE6.

SANDY LEVINE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RETAIL AND MBD: “THE HAPPY DELI MAN”.

Bring in the Civilian.

Sandy as the Managing Director.

The Sandy System.

Media Appearances and Articles.

Mr. Personality.

He Loves the Job.

COURSE7.

MARIAN PARKER LEVINE, DAUGHTER AND WIFE: “ALL IN THE DELI FAMILY”.

2004: The Levines’ Vacations.

COURSE8.

JEFF JENSEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WHOLESALE: “MR. CONTENTMENT AT THE COMMISSARY”.

Back in the United States.

Come to the Carnegie.

Jeff Can Get It for You Wholesale.

The Satisfied Executive.

Desserts of the Deli World.

Cheesecake.

Rugelach Cookies.

Noodle Pudding with Apples.

Cheese Blintzes.

Apple Strudel.

Walter Bell, Counterman: “Constructing the Big Sandwich”.

Fernando Perez, Cook: “Cooking the Carnegie Way”.

COURSE9.

JOEL SIEGEL, DINER: “LOVING THE DELI LIFE”.

Manhattan.

Carnegie Deli Time.

Genuine Brooklyn Egg Cream Recipe.

Susan Palmaccio, Waitress: “When She’s Smiling”.

The Delicatessen Quiz.

IT’S CLOSING TIME.

ABOUT THE ARTIST.

Milton Parker has written a book called How to Feed Friends and Influence People: The Carnegie Deli (with co-author Allyn Freeman), but if you've heard of him, that wouldn't be why. Parker is the owner of New York's Carnegie Deli.
Founded in 1937, it was not by any means the first U.S. deli — yet it remains the most famous.
This was the favorite hangout of one-liner king Henny Youngman, and the deli is immortalized in comedian Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song in the mid-1990s.
And what's the secret to this fame? Simple: At the Carnegie Deli, you can buy a big sandwich with good meat served by a happy staff.
Half of the 10 business practices that Parker says he follows are devoted to keeping the staff happy:
• Create a family atmosphere.
• Promote from within.
• Have an open ear to staff (and customer) comments.
• Management is always responsible.
• Have fun working.
Parker, owner since 1976, claims that the success of these values is shown by the fact that many of the deli staff have been gladly working there for over 15 years.
Aside from a belief in owning the premises, the rest of Parker's business philosophy is mostly about making a big, quality sandwich.
Parker shares some of his troubles. The Beverly Hills Carnegie Deli opened in 1989 with more fanfare than any deli opening had ever received, but it could not overcome negative reviews of both food and staff. Five years later, it closed.
Parker tells the tale of New York's blackout of August 2003 and how Sandy Levine, the deli's "MBD" (which stands for "Married Boss's Daughter"), managed to keep the Carnegie Deli open and serving food all evening long.
The entertainment value of these vignettes is marred only by the fact that they are not always presented in chronological order.
Thankfully, the historical notes are interspersed with information. Tiny biographies offer a look at the waitresses or countermen. A chart of deli slang teaches that "pistol" is pastrami; "whiskey" is rye bread. Digressions into the histories of foods include where pastrami comes from, how it was named and how the Carnegie Deli prepares it.
Reading about all this food no doubt will arouse the appetite, so recipes are included, too. Cooks will enjoy having the Carnegie Deli's recipes for everything from cheese blintzes to matzo ball soup to beef brisket.
And for dessert, the book offers up cheesecake.
Literally.
The last page of the book is a cutout coupon for a free slice of cheesecake at the Carnegie Deli.
Milton Parker has proved that in addition to making a very enjoyable sandwich, he can write an enjoyable book. (USA Today, January 31, 2005)

Sadly, of the hundreds of Jewish delicatessens that once fed hungry New Yorkers, only a handful are still around. In "How to Feed Friends and Influence People" (Wiley, $12.95), Milton Parker, owner of the Carnegie Deli, reveals the story of this famous institution. You'll learn Parker's philosophy and how he built the deli into such a success: Keep it simple, he says, make everything yourself, don't be greedy, and "do one thing and do it better than anyone else."
The book traces the history of the Carnegie Deli from its days as a modest 92-seat restaurant that was founded in 1937 up to the present, where it enjoys the status of a nationally recognized, prominent delicatessen. There's an interesting chronology of Jewish (or deli) food in the U.S., dating from the introduction of Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray Tonic in New York in 1869 right through the founding of H&H Bagels in 1972.
Although not primarily a cookbook, this slim volume offers some excellent recipes for dishes like corned beef hash, beef flanken, cheesecake and noodle pudding with apples.
There's plenty of lore about quintessential deli foods like tongue, pastrami, brisket and corned beef, with tips on how to order them when you eat out. All in all, Parker's book makes for a good read and may inspire you to try your hand at making some Jewish deli food. (Daily News, January 12, 2005)