The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home

Michael C. Zusman: Michael is a state court judge by day and a freelance restaurant and food writer at night, working for several local publications in his Portland, Oregon, hometown. Michael is also a serious amateur baker and supplied the bread recipes used by Kenny & Zuke’s Delicatessen. When he’s not spending time with his teenage daughter, keeping tabs on Portland’s vibrant and ever-evolving restaurant scene, or playing with a batch of dough, Michael is a travel fanatic, chalking up miles to any destination with a strong culinary tradition. Singapore, Sydney, and New York City are top-notch, though his favorite restaurant anywhere is Chicago’s Alinea. Nick Zukin: Nick is the “Zuke” in Kenny & Zuke’s. A prominent Portland food blogger, he approached Ken “Kenny” Gordon in 2005 with a recipe for killer pastrami and the dream of connecting with his heritage.The proposition: open a Jewish deli specializing in house-made pastrami and hand-rolled bagels. After testing the waters selling at the farmers' market and at pop-up brunches, Nick helped open the first of a new wave of Jewish delicatessens focused on producing artisanal eats. Ever versatile, Nick recently debuted a solo venture, Mi Mero Mole, a Mexican restaurant specializing in the street food of Mexico City.