By Scott Gummer

“We make everything ourselves,” says Levine proudly. “We cannot trust others to do things our way. Would they cure the corned beef long enough? Would they spice the pastrami just right? One day to the next, the cheesecake might taste different because they try to fluff it up and make it airy and light. Our cheesecake is heavy, old-fashioned, New York cheesecake with crust made out of real dough, not graham crackers.” It is to die for. Thankfully, Carnegie Deli classics are available online, as well as rolling out to Costco stores around the country.

Still, there is no substitute for the experience of hunkering down before a bowl of fresh pickles to tackle the extensive menu known for its whimsical sandwich names including Nova on a Sunday, Bacon Whoopee and The Egg and Oy! Serious delicatessen connoisseurs can choose from beef tongue, pickled herring and liverwurst. Levine’s signature sandwich, Sandy’s Grilled Chicken Breast, comes with a choice of potato, coleslaw or fresh vegetable and appeals to diet-conscious diners, of which there appeared to be none on the day I dined with the Levines. I ordered a Reuben, only to be presented with a virtual mountain of pastrami and Swiss.

“Woah!” bellowed the boss, stopping the waitress in her tracks. All eyes turned to Levine as he shook his head in disbelief. “Did you mistakenly give this gentleman the children’s menu?” he asked the waitress. She had heard this shtick before but dutifully played along. “I am so very sorry,” Levine said to me, apologizing so profusely a passerby might have thought I’d just had a bowl of steaming matzoh ball soup spilled in my lap. “I cannot believe they brought you the kid’s portion, but how about this,” he offered, pausing for dramatic effect. “When you finish the first one, the second is on me!”

The world according to Sandy is brilliantly simple. “Every significant event in life, especially those that are happy – bar mitzvahs, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays – is centered around food,” says Levine. “Food makes people happy, and that is what makes this my passion.”

There is a succession plan in place: The heir apparent is Levine’s son-in-law, Chuck Smith, whose business card carries the title MOBD, which stands for Married Other Boss’s Daughter. However, Levine is not planning to presently, or willingly, retire. “I will be here until they carry me out,” he vows. “Preferably with a frankfurter in my mouth.”

Read more about the Carnegie Deli story in How to Feed Friends and Influence People: The Carnegie Deli... A Giant Sandwich, a Little Deli, a Huge Success. Available from carnegiedelistore.com and booksellers everywhere.