Andrew Zimmern Has Been Chowing Down On The Same Katz's Deli Sandwich For Decades

Katz's may be the oldest deli in the U.S., but it still serves a whopping 70,000 pounds of meat every single week to hungry customers from all around the world. One famous Katz's fan is chef and television personality Andrew Zimmern. In April, the chef worked a guest shift at Katz's to get a taste of what it's like on the other side of the deli counter. When he's sitting at a table, however, Zimmern claims in an Instagram post that he's been eating the same Katz's Deli sandwich for "65 years" — a slight exaggeration considering the chef was only 64 at the time. But the hyperbole illustrates Zimmern's enduring passion for his go-to sandwich: "Half pastrami, half brisket, stacked." Ostensibly, those meats are served on Katz's iconic rye, which is baked fresh daily.

Zimmern has won Emmy and James Beard Awards, but the roots of his acclaimed culinary career began in New York City. Indeed, it seems probable that Katz's helped fuel his come-up. After attending The Dalton School and Vassar College, Zimmern cooked in various NYC fine dining establishments alongside such prestigious chefs as The French Laundry's Thomas Keller, Anne Rosenzweig, Joachim Splichal, and Leslie Revsin. Fellow Vassar alumn Anthony Bourdain similarly named Katz's as his favorite spot for a late-night bite. Decades later, during his first shift at Katz's, Zimmern flexed some impressive knife skills, carving up that world-class pastrami. As the chef himself quips in the Instagram post, admiring his work, "Not bad for my first try." 

If Zimmern's ultimate pastrami sandwich features both pastrami and brisket, what makes these two meats unique? Both pastrami and brisket come from the same cut of meat: The beef brisket from the steer's pectoral, above the front shanks and below the chuck. This tough, muscle-rippled cut requires low, slow cooking to achieve its signature tender texture. Brisket becomes pastrami only when a series of tedious preparation steps is applied to the meat, transforming it into a whole new culinary creation. At Katz's, the pastrami takes nearly a month to make due to the deli's elaborate process.

Pastrami is sliced brisket that gets brine-cured, smoked, steamed, and heavily seasoned for a deep, spiced taste and fork-tender texture. Unlike pastrami, regular brisket skips the brine cure, instead getting a generous spice rub and a long tenure in the smoker. The resulting meat is more robust and smoky than pastrami's sweet-spiced depth. Stacked, they make a wildly dimensional, ultra-savory sando. Per the restaurant's website, Katz's brisket also gets "roasted in Grandma's gravy" for a succulent bite.

Pastrami is a New York City institution, and Katz's has been serving it up since 1888. Today, a famously massive pastrami sandwich at Katz's costs $28.95, and a brisket sandwich costs $27.95. Zimmern's half-brisket, half-pastrami sandwich seems to be an off-menu creation. Travelling out of town? Katz's also sells its pastrami ($36) and brisket ($34) meats by the pound (hand-carved, sealed, and frozen) for a taste of Zimmern's lifelong favorite anywhere.