Isaac “Ike” Starkman, Jerry’s Deli owner, dead
There have been few people here at Save the Deli that I have expressed displeasure for, but one of those was certainly Isaac “Ike” Starkman, the founder and owner of the California chain Jerry’s Famous Deli, and the man ultimately responsible for the closing of Miami’s beloved Rascal House. I’ve remarked at my displeasure for the way Mr. Starkman and his sons cannibalized Rascal House and sold it for the chance of condominiums, trading on the name of the landmark deli. I even started a petition protesting this. Every attempt to interview him was refuted, ignored, and denied.
But it saddens me to hear about the sudden death of Mr. Starkman, who passed away on July 4th of a heart attack in Miami.
I’ll quote from his obituary in the Miami Herald:
”He was the most ambitious and most respected guy I’ve met in my whole life,” said his son, Jason, “a one in a million kind of guy.”
Born in Israel in 1937, Starkman served in the Israeli Defense Forces as a lieutenant from 1955 to 1958, before moving to New York in 1961. He arrived with $103 in his pocket and not much else, Jason said. His first job was as a courier.
In 1978 he co-founded Jerry’s Famous Deli in Beverly Hills and Studio City, Calif. Today the restaurant has seven locations in California and one in Florida. That was his pride, family said.
”He was [at Jerry’s in South Beach] every morning without fail,” Jason said. “That was his office.”
No one will be allowed to sit at the table from now on, Jason said.
Ike Starkman was not your typical deli man. He introduced us to big delis, crowded out his menus with wraps, salads, pizzas, and even lobster…obscuring much of the Jewish flavor. He once professed in an interview to see the traditional deli foods as outdated, and thought that Israeli style spreads and salads were more relevant. A deli man he was not.
But he was ambitious. He began a deli empire. He took the first delicatessen public, listing his company under the symbol DELI, for a brief, unsuccessful period. He may have earned the scorn of deli lovers and owners alike, but he gave them something to compete against, showed us what else there was out there, and how deli could go the other way. And though his deli food was rather awful and overpriced, he still served deli, and for that he should earn our respect.
A heartfelt Alef Hashalom goes out to the entire Starkman family and staff of Jerry’s Famous Deli for their loss.
July 18th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Heartfelt sympahy to his entire family. In this day and age Mr. Starkman died quite a young man and that’s the true nature of the personal tragedy.
July 19th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
My sincerest condolences to the Starkmans — and props to Save the Deli for handling this horrible tragedy with grace and aplomb.
July 20th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I live 30 miles from the Rascal House. I refuse to say anything positive about this guy. My (Jewish) father lived until 94 so he must have lived life smarter than him
At least some good news in Broward. Lox Haven has reopened as Lox and Bagel Depot next to the Walmart in Sunrise. A legendary smoked fish and Jewish food store
954 746 4211
July 27th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
He was not a fair man you will give him a notice as a gentelman and he will say leave today he will try to keep your money people says he sold the jerry’s stocks and then said we are loosing the money we buy the stocks for a half price.he didin’t have great reputation in business world
July 30th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Jerry’s is as good as any top NY deli. I feel soory for the famalies lost.
afl
September 4th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Karma is a bitch, no?
September 24th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Good riddance. He destroyed a FL landmark. Now his ne’er-do-well son is preserving a table in Ike’s honor at his roach infested Sobe dump. Hey Jason wake up. No one wants to eat your overpriced ‘food’ anyway. Keep all the tables reserved for all I care. Never will I eat in a Jerrys Famous.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
My condolences go out to the family. I personally knew Ike he was a wonderful man with a heart of gold.He will be missed.