Episode 142: Comfort Food Personalities - Bob Evans and Nathan Handwerker
A lot of chain restaurants and widely-known food products have real names and personalities behind them. Some of these businesses put their founders front and center — a certain international chicken chain comes to mind — while others stick with founders’ names even when the motivations for starting the business get lost as the times and brand stories change.
Today we discuss a couple of our favorites: Bob Evans and Nathan Handwerker (you know, the hot dog guy).
So ask the bartender for a couple of Bourbon Teas and tuck the tablecloth into your shirt. It’s time to grab your knife and fork, ‘cuz we’re digging into some tasty stories back here in the bar.
E X T R A S :
(Top to bottom): Bob Evans portrait, Evans with one of his delivery trucks, Evans and his wife Jewell, the farm and restaurant (red building in the distance) in Rio Grande, Ohio (photo: Fan of Retail)
Bob Evans
Background and History (Bob Evans website)
Bob Evans obituary (NY Times article)
(Top to bottom): Nathan Handwerker behind the counter, Handwerker pointing at a newly-painted sign, the exterior of the original Nathan’s at the corner of Surf and Stillwell in Coney Island today (photo: Ajay Suresh), the same location in the summer of 1947
Elliot’s son with Ed “Cookie” Jarvis, retired competitive eater, in 2016
Nathan Handwerker
“Hot Dogs, the Jewish American Fast Food” (Tablet article)
“Iconic Food #2: Nathan’s Hot Dog” (CBS News article)
Nathan’s Famous (company website)
Famous Nathan trailer (YouTube video)
Additional Links
“Dunderbeck and the Sausage Meat Machine” (YouTube video)
