EP #3 The Little Deli that Could: Jeremy Umansky's Larder

In this episode I talk to Jeremy Umansky, chef and owner of Larder, about how he and his partners, Kenny Scott and Allie LaValle-Umansky managed to steward their popular neighborhood deli through the uncertainty of the past year. The tight-knit team had unknowingly created a model that was able to adapt quickly to the take-out environment and thrive while other concepts struggled.

In just a few short years Larder has proved mighty for its size, drawing national attention from national media like Food & Wine and Eater, and two James Beard Award nominations. It is also a must stop for visiting culinary royalty like Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller (he's got the pics to prove it). Jeremy is a renown foraging and fermenting expert who has co-written a book on koji, the foundational technique behind his mouthwatering pastrami.

Outside of the kitchen Jeremy uses his voice and keyboard to share and promote things he cares about. While you are likely to find him writing about why you should fry latkes in schmalz or how to safely forage mushrooms he has also written candidly about his journey to sobriety.

We talked about making hard decisions, how the recent months both helped and hurt those struggling with addiction, and the kind of chef Jeremy wants to be.

Mentioned in this episode: koji, pastrami, Rising Star Coffee, Saucy Brew Works.

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